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greedy

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greedy

  • /ˈɡɹiːdi/

Rhymes with -iːdi

Where it comes from

From Middle English gredy, from Anglian Old English grēdiġ (“greedy, hungry, eager”) (cognate West Saxon form grǣdiġ), from Proto-Germanic *grēdagaz (“hungry”), from Proto-Germanic *grēdaz, *grēduz, *grēdô (“hunger”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰer-. Equivalent to greed + -y.

Cognate with Old Saxon grādag (“greedy”), Dutch graag (“gladly, willingly”), Old High German grātag (“greedy”), Danish grådig (“greedy”), Norwegian Bokmål grådig (“greedy”) (from Old Norse gráðigr (“greedy”), gráði (“greed, hunger”)), Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌴𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍃 (grēdags, “hungry”). Sanskrit गृद्धि (gṛddhi, “greed”) is a false cognate.

adjective greedier · greediest

  1. Having greed; consumed by selfish desires. For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye.
  2. Prone to overeat.

    Similar: gluttonous

  3. Tending to match as much text as possible. This regular expression performs a greedy match.

    Opposite: lazy, nongreedy, reluctant

  4. of an algorithm That tries to find the global optimum by finding the local optimum at each stage.

    Opposite: nongreedy

  5. archaic Greedily sought or pursued. Suppoſe they be in number infinit, Yet being voyd of Martiall diſcipline, All running headlong after greedie ſpoiles: […] Their careleſſe ſwords ſhal lanch their fellows throats And make vs triumph in their ouerthrow.

Similar: acquisitive, avaricious, cormorant, covetous, edacious, esurient, grasping, greedy, miserable, piggish, miserly, rapacious, selfish, sordid, sharp-set, voracious

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: grasping, avaricious, covetous, avid, esurient, desirous, grabby, prehensile, acquisitive, gluttonous, devouring, eager, keen, ambitious, hungry, egotistical

adjective

Similar: acquisitive, avaricious, cormorant, covetous, edacious, esurient, grasping, greedy, miserable, piggish, miserly, rapacious, selfish, sordid, sharp-set, voracious

Translations

Every language

adj having greed; consumed by selfish desires

Españolcodicioso, avaricioso, ávido, avaro, avorazado, angurriento
한국어욕심 많다 yoksim manta, 탐욕스럽다 tamyokseureopda
日本語貪欲な don'yoku-na
中文貪婪的 /贪婪的 tānlán-de, 貪心的 /贪心的 tānxīn-de
हिन्दीलालची lālcī, लोभी lobhī
Portuguêsganancioso, avaro
Françaisavaricieux, cupide, avide
Deutschgierig, habgierig, habsüchtig
Italianoingordo, avido
Ελληνικάάπληστος áplistos
Românălacom, zgârcit
Русскийжа́дный žádnyj, а́лчный álčnyj, ненасы́тный nenasýtnyj, скупо́й skupój, ска́редный skárednyj
Tiếng Việttham, tham lam
العربيةطَمَّاع ṭammāʕ, جَشِع jašiʕ, بَخِيل baḵīl
עבריתחמדן khamdán

adj prone to overeat

Españolglotón, tragón
Portuguêsguloso
Françaisgourmand
Deutschgefräßig
Italianogoloso
العربيةشرِه, نهِم

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MLA

"greedy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/greedy. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

greedy. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/greedy

Chicago

"greedy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/greedy.

BibTeX
@misc{greedy_2026,
  title = {greedy},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/greedy},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}