appetite

noun

ap·​pe·​tite ˈa-pə-ˌtīt 

1

: any of the instinctive desires necessary to keep up organic life

especially : the desire to eat

He has a hearty appetite.

2

a

: an inherent craving

an insatiable appetite for work

b

: taste, preference

… the cultural appetites of the time …

—J. D. Hart

appetitive

ˈa-pə-ˌtī-tiv 

adjective

Synonyms

• belly
• emptiness
• famishment
• hunger
• munchies
• stomach

Examples of appetite in a Sentence

He has a healthy appetite.

Some common symptoms are tiredness, nausea, and loss of appetite.

I had no appetite and couldn't sleep.

Recent Examples on the Web

Special Spirits In every casino, almost anything goes (within reason) to whet the appetites of major players, from craps table pizza deliveries to the presentation $55,000+ bottle of 2016 Screaming Eagle at dinner. —Melinda Sheckells, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024

But advocates remain nervous given the GOP’s appetite for other anti-LGBTQ+ policies, such as bills blocking gender-affirming care for transgender youth. —Kate Sosin, Them, 5 Nov. 2024

London’s top law firms hired partners at record speed this year, driven by American law firms’ appetite to compete for talent in the British capital. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 5 Nov. 2024

Married to Stanley, a man of carnal appetites and vulgar manners, Stella has embraced the crude pleasures of realism, while her freeloading sister still clings to tattered aristocratic illusions. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English appetit, appetite "inherent drive or urge (in physiology), desire for food or drink, longing," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French appetit, apetite (also continental Old French apetit), borrowed from Latin appetītus "natural or instinctive desire," from appetī-, variant stem of appetere "to try to reach, have a natural desire for, seek to obtain, strive after" (from ap- ap- + petere "to direct one's course to, seek to obtain") + -tu-, -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at feather entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing appetite

• hearty appetite
• lose one's appetite
• ravenous appetite
• whet one's appetite

Kids Definition

appetite

noun

ap·​pe·​tite ˈap-ə-ˌtīt 

1

: a natural desire especially for food

2

: taste entry 2 sense 4

an appetite for adventure

Medical Definition

appetite

noun

ap·​pe·​tite ˈap-ə-ˌtīt 

: any of the instinctive desires necessary to keep up organic life

especially : the desire to eat

appetitive

-ˌtīt-iv 

adjective