Appetite Noun - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation And Usage Notes

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Definition of appetite noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

appetite noun   /ˈæpɪtaɪt/  /ˈæpɪtaɪt/ jump to other results

1.  [uncountable, countable, usually singular] physical desire for food
   • He suffered from headaches and loss of appetite.
   • The walk gave me a good appetite.
   • Don't spoil your appetite by eating between meals.
   Extra Examples
   • The cold air had given an edge to my appetite.
   • I have always had a small appetite.
   • special double-decker sandwiches for big appetites
   • She's always had a healthy appetite.
   • She had no appetite and began to lose weight.
   • His appetite has returned to normal.
   • Some drugs can suppress the appetite.
   • The symptoms of depression can include poor appetite and weight loss.
   • This is something you can eat between meals without ruining your appetite.
   • magnificent meals to tempt the most jaded appetites
   Topics Cooking and eatingc1Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • big
   • enormous
   • gargantuan
   • …
   verb + appetite
   • have
   • lose
   • build
   • …
   appetite + verb
   • grow
   • increase
   • come back
   • …
   phrases
   • a lack of appetite
   • a loss of appetite
   See full entry

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2.  [countable] a strong desire for something
   • sexual appetites
   • The preview was intended to whet your appetite (= make you want more).
   • appetite for something The public have an insatiable appetite for scandal.
   • There is no appetite for (= people do not want) massive federal investment in the US.
   Extra Examples
   • an insatiable appetite for books
   • We get into debt to indulge our appetite for consumer goods.
   • The airport cannot accommodate the growing appetite for flights.
   • The BBC recognizes the public appetite for serious information.
   • His appetite for power had grown.
   • The website has enough good content to satisfy its users' intellectual appetite.
   Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • enormous
   • great
   • huge
   • …
   verb + appetite
   • have
   • lose
   • give somebody
   • …
   appetite + verb
   • grow
   • increase
   preposition
   • appetite for
   See full entry
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French apetit (modern appétit), from Latin appetitus ‘desire for’, from appetere ‘seek after’, from ad- ‘to’ + petere ‘seek’.

See appetite in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee appetite in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation: appetite

Nearby words

• appertain verb
• appertain to phrasal verb
• appetite noun
• appetizer noun
• appetizing adjective

error noun From the Word list OPAL spoken words Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day