What does covetousness mean?
Covetousness is the state of desiring, often excessively or wrongly, something that belongs to someone else — property, status, wealth, or even qualities such as another person's talent or good fortune. The word derives ultimately from the Latin 'cupere', meaning 'to desire', and entered English through Old French 'coveitier'. Unlike simple ambition, which may be neutral or admirable, covetousness carries a strongly negative moral charge: it implies grasping beyond what is rightfully one's own. It is perhaps best known from the Tenth Commandment of the Hebrew Bible, which explicitly prohibits coveting a neighbour's house or possessions, giving the term enduring religious weight. In modern usage it remains somewhat formal and literary, appearing most often in ethical, theological, or legal writing, while everyday conversation tends toward plainer words like 'greed' or 'envy'. A related but distinct concept, jealousy, concerns fear of losing what one already has.
nounA strong, often inordinate desire to possess something that belongs to another; greedy longing for wealth or possessions.
- An inordinate or wrongful desire for another's possessions or qualities.
- Excessive greed for material goods in general, whether or not they belong to another.
"The novel portrays a family destroyed by covetousness over an inheritance."
"His covetousness grew with every acquisition, yet nothing ever seemed enough."
"Scripture warns against the covetousness that leads people astray from honest living."
Covetousness is the tenth and final commandment — the one that bans wanting your neighbour's house, wife, ox, or donkey, making it arguably the oldest law against greed on record.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of covetousness
Covetousness traces back to the Latin verb 'cupere', meaning 'to desire' or 'to long for', via the Old French verb 'coveitier', which passed into Middle English as 'coveten' in the medieval period. The noun 'covetousness' was formed in Middle English from the adjective 'covetous' plus the suffix '-ness'. Its moral sense was cemented by its prominence in religious texts, notably as the sin prohibited by the Tenth Commandment.
Related word forms
How covetousness is actually used
Covetousness is a formal, somewhat literary word carrying strong moral or religious connotation — it appears frequently in biblical, ethical, and legal discourse rather than everyday speech. It is almost always pejorative. In casual contexts, 'greed' or 'envy' are more common choices.
Easily confused with covetousness
Jealousy is fear or resentment about losing what one already has (often in relationships), while covetousness is the desire to gain something someone else possesses.