Word: coveting

Associations

"Coveting" means having a strong desire for something that belongs to someone else. It often suggests wanting something to the point of envy.

• For example, "She was coveting her neighbor's new car." This shows that she strongly desires the car that is not hers.
• "He was coveting his friend's success." Here, it indicates a yearning for the achievements or accomplishments of another.
• "They accused him of coveting their property." In this case, it's a desire for someone's belongings, implying a negative feeling.

A well-known synonym is "envy." However, "coveting" specifically carries a sense of desire for someone else's possessions or success, while "envy" may simply refer to jealousy without the connotation of wanting to possess it.

Substitution

Other words or phrases that can be used instead of "coveting" could be:

• "Desiring" - this is more neutral and doesn’t imply ownership as much.
• "Envying" - which emphasizes jealousy but may not suggest a strong, active desire to obtain.
• "Yearning for" - which indicates a deep longing but can be less negative than "coveting."

The choice of words changes the nuance of the feeling; "coveting" has a more negative shade compared to "desiring."

Deconstruction

The root of the word "coveting" is "covet," which comes from the Old French "coveitier" or directly from Latin "cupiditas," meaning 'desire' or 'longing.' The suffix "-ing" indicates that it is a continuous action or state. This illustrates an ongoing desire, emphasizing that the feeling can be intense and consuming.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you felt coveting towards something someone else had? What was it?
• How might coveting affect relationships between friends or family?
• Have you ever experienced wanting something so much that it turned into frustration if you couldn't have it? How did you handle it?