What does acquisitiveness mean?
Acquisitiveness is the disposition of wanting constantly to acquire and possess — whether money, property, objects, or status symbols. As a noun, it names the trait itself rather than any single act of acquiring: a person may make many acquisitions, but acquisitiveness is the underlying appetite that drives them. The word appears most often in formal writing — social criticism, economics, psychology, and moral philosophy — where it typically carries a disapproving tone, suggesting a hunger for possession that outstrips genuine need. Psychologists have also treated it as a measurable personality dimension, sometimes linked to consumer behaviour and materialism. The term derives from the Latin 'acquirere', meaning to gain or obtain, via the adjective 'acquisitive'. Its usefulness lies in naming a general tendency rather than a single event, allowing writers to describe everything from individual collecting habits to the supposed acquisitiveness of whole societies with one precise, evocative word.
nounThe quality or disposition of being eager to acquire and possess things, especially material goods or wealth; an insatiable desire to own.
- A strong desire to acquire and possess material things or wealth.
- (Psychology) A personality trait characterized by persistent acquisition of possessions.
"His acquisitiveness showed in the way he filled every shelf of his house with rare books."
"The novel satirizes the acquisitiveness of a society that measures worth by what one owns."
"Her acquisitiveness extended beyond money — she collected houses, art, and even other people's secrets."
Extremely rare; the word is almost always used as an uncountable mass noun.
"Different cultures exhibit different acquisitivenesses, shaped by their economic values."
Acquisitiveness comes from the Latin 'quaerere' — 'to seek' — the same root that gives us 'question' and 'quest', so the hoarder and the seeker are, at root, chasing the same Latin verb.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of acquisitiveness
Acquisitiveness is formed from the adjective 'acquisitive' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ness'. 'Acquisitive' traces back through French to the Latin verb 'acquirere' (ad- 'toward' + quaerere 'to seek, gain'), meaning to acquire or obtain. The word entered English in the early modern period as abstract nouns in '-ness' became productive; it shares its ultimate root with words such as 'acquire', 'acquisition', 'require', and 'inquire', all stemming from 'quaerere'.
Related word forms
How acquisitiveness is actually used
Acquisitiveness is a formal or literary word, more common in social commentary, psychology, and moral philosophy than in everyday speech. It often carries a mildly critical connotation, implying desire that exceeds need, though it can be used neutrally in psychological contexts. It is almost always uncountable.
Easily confused with acquisitiveness
Inquisitiveness is a desire to learn or know, while acquisitiveness is a desire to acquire or possess.