Word: avarice (noun)

Associations

Avarice means a very strong desire to have a lot of money or wealth, often more than you need. It is like being greedy, but usually about money or possessions.

• Example 1: "His avarice led him to cheat others in business." Here, avarice shows a bad desire for money.
• Example 2: "Avarice can ruin friendships if people only care about wealth." This means greed can harm relationships.
• Example 3: "The story warns about the dangers of avarice." This means the story teaches that wanting too much money is bad.

A synonym is "greed." The difference is that avarice is often used in more formal or serious contexts, while greed can be more general and everyday. Avarice usually focuses on money or wealth specifically.

Substitution

You can replace "avarice" with:

• greed (more common and general)
• cupidity (very formal, also means strong desire for wealth)
• rapacity (means aggressive greed, often negative)

Changing the word changes the tone. "Greed" is simple, "avarice" sounds more serious or old-fashioned.

Deconstruction

• Root: from Latin "avaritia," meaning greed or desire for wealth.
• "Avar-" relates to wanting or craving.
• "-ice" is a noun suffix showing a quality or state.

Historically, avarice is one of the seven deadly sins in Christian teachings, meaning it is a serious moral fault.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a story or movie where a character shows avarice?
• Have you ever seen someone act out of avarice? What happened?
• How is avarice different from just wanting to save money carefully? When does desire become avarice?