What does crapulently mean?
Crapulently is an uncommon adverb meaning in a greedy, voracious, or excessively indulgent manner. It is based on crapulent, an older adjective for someone marked by an unusually strong appetite, especially for food or drink. In modern use, the word is usually literary, dated, or deliberately heightened, and it may suggest not merely eating or drinking heartily but doing so with an appetite that is excessive or difficult to satisfy. A writer might use it to characterize a diner who consumes an absurd amount of food or a reader who pursues stories with indiscriminate enthusiasm. Because the adjective is rare, the adverb can sound comic or mock-formal, making it effective for satire, though it is not a neutral everyday choice. Its uncommon status should not obscure its meaning: it is a precise, old-fashioned way of describing greedy or ravenous behavior.
adverbIn a greedy, voracious, or excessively indulgent manner; with an appetite that is difficult to satisfy.
- Greedily, voraciously, or with excessive appetite.
"He stared at the dessert table with crapulently undisguised enthusiasm."
"The hungry students descended on the buffet almost crapulently."
"Her essay criticized the author's crapulently repetitive treatment of the subject."
The word's solemn Latin ancestry makes an accusation of gluttony sound like a formal legal verdict.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does crapulently come from?
Crapulently was formed in English with the suffix -ly from crapulent, the adjective meaning greedy or voracious. Crapulent comes from Latin crapulentus, “greedy,” which is associated with crapula, “belly,” and the same root produced related English forms such as crapulence, crapulous, and crapulaceous.
How crapulently is actually used
Rare, literary, dated, or humorous in tone. It is more conspicuous than the everyday alternatives 'greedily' and 'voraciously,' and its formal sound can create a comic or deliberately exaggerated effect.
Easily confused with crapulently
Crapulent is the adjective meaning greedy or voracious, whereas crapulently is the adverb describing that manner of eating, drinking, or consuming.