APPETITE

appetite, appetency, appetence

(noun) a feeling of craving something; “an appetite for life”; “the object of life is to satisfy as many appetencies as possible”- Granville Hicks

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

appetite (countable and uncountable, plural appetites)

Desire to eat food or consume drink.

Any strong desire; an eagerness or longing.

The desire for some personal gratification, either of the body or of the mind.

Synonyms

• craving, longing, desire, appetency, passion

Source: Wiktionary

Ap"pe*tite, n. Etym: [OE. appetit, F. appétit, fr. L. appetitus, fr. appetere to strive after, long for; ad + petere to seek. See Petition, and cf. Appetence.]

1. The desire for some personal gratification, either of the body or of the mind. The object of appetite it whatsoever sensible good may be wished for; the object of will is that good which reason does lead us to seek. Hooker.

2. Desire for, or relish of, food or drink; hunger. Men must have appetite before they will eat. Buckle.

3. Any strong desire; an eagerness or longing. It God had given to eagles an appetite to swim. Jer. Taylor. To gratify the vulgar appetite for the marvelous. Macaulay.

4. Tendency; appetency. [Obs.] In all bodies there as an appetite of union. Bacon.

5. The thing desired. [Obs.] Power being the natural appetite of princes. Swift.

Note: In old authors, appetite is followed by to or of, but regularly it should be followed by for before the object; as, an appetite for pleasure.

Syn.

– Craving; longing; desire; appetency; passion.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition