ravenousness
|ra-ven-ous-ness|
/ˈrævənəsnəs/
extreme hunger / insatiable desire
Etymology
'ravenousness' originates from Middle English, formed from the adjective 'ravenous', which comes from Old French 'ravineus'/'ravineux', where 'raviner' meant 'to seize' or 'to plunder'.
'ravenous' changed from Old French 'ravineus'/'ravineux' and Middle English forms such as 'ravinous' into the modern English adjective 'ravenous', and 'ravenousness' developed as the nominalizing suffix '-ness' was added.
Initially it carried senses of 'seizing, plundering' or 'greedy/rapacious'; over time the meaning shifted to emphasize 'extreme hunger' and, figuratively, 'intense desire'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of being extremely hungry; intense physical hunger.
After the all-day trek, their ravenousness made them eat everything in sight.
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Noun 2
a voracious or insatiable appetite for something (figurative): extreme eagerness or greed.
The company's ravenousness for market share led to aggressive expansion.
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Last updated: 2025/12/26 16:13