appetite
nouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈæp.ɪ.taɪt//
- United States//ˈæp.əˌtaɪt//
A desire to eat food or consume drinks.
noun
- 1
A desire to eat food or consume drinks.
And I return with an excellent appetite. There can be no question, my dear Watson, of the value of exercise before breakfast.
The most rapid and most seductive transition in all human nature is that which attends the palliation of a ravenous appetite. There is something humiliating about it.
Though the breweries were forced to shut down, the dry spell did little more than whet the public's appetite for beer: Records show that within the first 24 hours after Congress lifted the ban Prohibition] in 1933, Americans guzzled 1 million barrels of the stuff.
- 2
Any strong desire; an eagerness or longing.
If God had given to eagles an appetite to swim.
To gratify the vulgar appetite for the marvellous.
- 3
The desire for some personal gratification, either of the body or of the mind.
appetite for reading
The object of appetite is whatsoever sensible good may be wished for; the object of will is that good which reason does lead us to seek.
Etymology
From Middle English appetit, from Old French apetit (French appétit), from Latin appetitus, from appetere (“to strive after, long for”); ad + petere (“to seek”). See petition, and compare with appetence.
Forms
- plural
- appetites
appetite · A desire to eat food or consume drinks.
appetizer · A small, light, and usually savory first course in a meal.applaud · To express approval (of something) by clapping the hands.applauding · applause