acquisitive
2
7.9
- adjective
- /əˈkwɪzɪtɪv/
:
acaparador
- His acquisitive tendencies made him eager to buy every new book that was published.
- acquisitive economy
They're not a a real acquisitive company.
- They're not a a real acquisitive company.
Examples
-
She had an acquisitive nature, always looking for the latest gadgets to own.
-
Projects had opened a window of generosity in my acquisitive lawyer's heart, and I loved him for it.
Fiction book (2000) -
But even objects given by Egypt as gifts have come under his acquisitive eye.
Academic text (2011) -
The reason is they are acquisitive, and their sole purpose is to make millions of dollars rapidly.
Blog text (8) -
If she had been acquisitive, she wouldn't have shared our property with us.
Fiction book (1993) -
We're spontaneous, versatile, acquisitive and scattered.
-
His astounding success has meant that he never learned to scale back either his screwier ideas or his acquisitive impulse.
Fiction book (1999) -
But standing there with Billie, surrounded by implements that promised home improvement, he yielded to an acquisitive urge.
Fiction book (1991) -
As railroads disgorged mobs of acquisitive migrants from the East and Midwest, thousands of Mexican immigrants arrived from south of the border.
Academic text (2001) -
The acquisitive man collected rare coins to fill his extensive collection.
Synonyms
256
1.4
Wanting more food, money, or things than needed
4
9.3
Very greedy for money and willing to take things from others
4
6.0
Wanting a lot of money, even if it hurts other people
4
8.1
Wanting a lot of money or things and not willing to share
3
9.2
Always wants more money and is never satisfied
3
8.4
Wanting very much to have something that belongs to someone else
1
8.2
Wanting to get more money or things in a selfish way
Wanting very much to get money or things
Wanting a lot of money or pleasure
Feeling a strong wish for something
Very eager to have or learn something
Antonyms
How Acquisitive
Surface Forms
Morphology
acquisitive = acquire (semi-transparent) = acquisit + ive
The meaning ('tending to acquire') is derivable from the verb 'acquire' plus the adjective-forming suffix '-ive', but the Latinate form change (acquire → acquisit-) may be confusing for learners.
Etymology
Acquisitive comes from the Latin root quaerere, which means 'to seek' or 'to get', and you can see the same idea in English words like acquire and acquisition. So an acquisitive person is someone who wants to get and keep things.