English → Latin
“covetousness” in Latin
cupīdōdesire, longing, especially amorous desire, eagerness; lust, passion, greedavāritiaA greedy desire for possessions or gain; avarice, greed, greediness, covetousness, rapacity.; Eagerness for food, gluttocupiditāsdesire (deemed good, neutral or bad); lust, passion; cupidity, avarice, greed, covetousnessaviditāsAn eagerness for something, avidity, longing, desire; covetousness, greed, avarice; gluttony, hungerRōsciusLucius Roscius Fabatus, a Roman politician; Lucius Roscius Otho, a Roman tribunesordēsdirt, filth, squalor; meanness, stinginess, niggardliness; humiliation
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
covetousness
habendi cupiditas, or cupido (general term): avaritia (the desire of enriching one’s self by any means, at the expense of others, opposed to abstinentia): pecuniae studium, or cupiditas, or aviditas (with regard to money). From the context also, cupiditas only (as Cic., Roscius, Am., 35, extr.; Quint., 7, 2, 30 [opposed to pecuniae contemtus], and Suet., Dom., 9 [opposed to abstinentia], etc.) and aviditas (as Plaut., Merc., prol., 29; Cic., Off., 2, 11, 38). (The words are found in this connection and order), cupiditas et avaritia: sordes (stronger term; e.g., vile covetousness): avaritia ardens; avaritia hians et imminens (a burning thirst, as it were, after anything).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for covetousness?
- The usual Latin words for “covetousness” are cupīdō, avāritia, cupiditās; also aviditās, Rōscius, sordēs. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.