Word of the Day: CUPIDITY

Not that kind of Cupid

cupidity (noun) - an eager or greedy desire for something, usually wealth, possessions, or power; yearning, avarice, or rapacity [kyoo-pid-i-tee]

BREAKDOWN: Mistaking cupidity as having something to do with love is only natural, considering that Cupid is the celebrated Roman god of desire, erotic love, and attraction. The connection between the two words is their common base, CUP- meaning desire. Other words derived from this greedy base include covetous and concupiscence.

“The Fur Company may be called the exterminating medium of these wild and almost uninhabitable regions, which cupidity or the love of money alone would induce man to venture into. Where can I now go and find nature undisturbed?” —John James Audubon

[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]