mammon

noun

mam·​mon ˈma-mən 

often capitalized

: material wealth or possessions especially as having a debasing influence

you cannot serve God and mammon

—Matthew 6:24 (Revised Standard Version)

mammonism

ˈma-mə-ˌni-zəm 

noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

In these books, we Americans are portrayed horribly — somehow simultaneously slovenly and uptight, perpetually dressed in spandex yet overweight, arrogant yet superficially friendly, impervious to pleasure and obsessed with mammon. —New York Times, 12 June 2018

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin mammona, from Greek mamōna, from Aramaic māmōnā riches

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above