What does greediness mean?
Greediness is the excessive or insatiable desire to acquire more wealth, possessions, food, power, or advantage than one needs or can reasonably expect. The word is strongly evaluative: it portrays a person or institution as selfish, insatiable, and unwilling to share. Its most common use concerns acquisitiveness, especially in discussions of business, politics, and social inequality, but it can also describe an excessive appetite for food or drink. Greediness is usually uncountable, though a rare regular plural, 'greedinesses,' is possible. The related adjective 'greedy' usually appears immediately before a noun, as in 'greedy corporation,' while 'greediness' names the broader quality or pattern of behaviour. Although it can sometimes be used humorously, especially when referring to appetite, the word is most authoritative in moral, literary, and analytical contexts.
nounExcessive or insatiable desire for wealth, possessions, food, or advantage. It often describes conduct motivated by selfish acquisition or a refusal to share.
- Excessive or insatiable desire for wealth, possessions, power, or advantage.
- Excessive appetite, especially for food or drink.
"Her greediness eventually cost her the trust of her family and colleagues."
"Corporate greediness was blamed for the widening gap between the wealthy and the poor."
"His greediness at the table was as notorious as his ambition at work."
Rare; 'greediness' is normally used as an uncountable noun.
"The study identifies distinct forms of greedinesses represented in the two novels."
Calling someone greedy labels a quality; calling it greediness turns that quality into a pattern of conduct.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does greediness come from?
Greediness is a Middle English noun formed from 'greed', which continues Old English 'grædig', meaning 'greedy' or 'avid'. Its ultimate Germanic ancestry is associated with the broader family of words that includes 'greedy', 'greed', and 'greedily'. The productive English suffix '-ness' was added to create a noun expressing the quality or state of being greedy.
How greediness is actually used
The word is normally uncountable and carries a strong moral or critical connotation. It is more formal and literary than the shorter noun 'greed', though it is understood throughout British and American English.
Easily confused with greediness
Greediness is the noun naming the quality or habit of wanting more than one needs or deserves, whereas greedy is the adjective describing a person or motivation.