What does gluttony mean?
Gluttony means excessive appetite for food or drink, particularly when such appetite is considered greedy, self-indulgent, or morally wrong. In modern usage, the word commonly carries a disapproving tone and may recall the Christian tradition in which gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins. It can also be used figuratively to describe excessive consumption of money, resources, or power, especially when that consumption is unfair or damaging to others. The term is not simply a synonym for enjoying food; its central implication is lack of restraint. In everyday criticism, it often suggests indulgence that has become habitual or excessive. Gluttony remains useful because it names both a recognizable moral vice and a broader pattern of uncontrolled appetite, allowing writers to distinguish wanton consumption from ordinary need or pleasure.
nounExcessive appetite for food or drink, especially when regarded as a moral failing. By extension, it means greedy or excessive consumption.
- Excessive appetite for food or drink, especially as a moral failing.
- Greedy or excessive consumption, especially of material resources.
"The monks warned that gluttony could turn a simple meal into a moral distraction."
"His reputation for gluttony spread quickly among the other diners."
"The essay condemned the gluttony of corporations that consumed resources while communities went without."
The plural is uncommon; the word is normally used as an uncountable noun.
"The novel portrays the political gluttonies of the ruling family."
Gluttony became one of Christianity's seven deadly sins—not simply for eating too much, but for allowing appetite to master virtue.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gluttony come from?
The word entered English during the late Middle English period through Old French gloutonie, a derivative of glouton, meaning glutton. Old French glouton came from Latin glutōnem, and the Latin word is generally traced to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to swallow.” The same root underlies related English words such as glut, glutton, and gluttonous.
How gluttony is actually used
The word is normally disapproving and often moral or religious in tone. It can describe literal overeating, but it is also used figuratively for greed and wasteful consumption.
Easily confused with gluttony
Gluttony is a noun meaning excessive appetite or consumption, whereas a glut is an excessive abundance or a state of being overfed.