Word of the day · 24 June 2026
voracious
/vəˈreɪʃəs/
adjective
Having a huge appetite for food or for an activity; wanting a great deal.
In a sentence
- A voracious reader finished three novels on the train trip.
- The plant’s voracious roots drank every drop in the pot.
- Investors showed a voracious demand for the new issue.
In an image
Origin
From Latin vorax (devouring), from vorare (to devour).
History
Voracious began with literal appetite and soon covered reading, collecting and ambition. A voracious reader finishes stacks; a voracious market absorbs supply. The word suggests intensity more than mere liking. Keep the devouring image in mind and the figurative uses stay sharp.
Nearby words
ravenous · insatiable · avid
Hunger that takes more than a polite share.