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

appetite

noun
 
 
/ˈæpɪtaɪt/
 
/ˈæpɪtaɪt/
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  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 eatingc1
    Oxford 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
  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
    3. 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 English
Check pronunciation: appetite

Nearby words

dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
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