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desire

de·sire

UK/dɪˈzaɪə/ US/dɪˈzaɪɹ/ common
noun (3) verb (3)

noun

1.

the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state

2.

an inclination to want things

  • “a man of many desires”
3.

something that is desired

verb

1.

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

  • “I want to go home now”
  • “I want my own room”
Synonyms
2.

expect and wish

  • “I trust you will behave better from now on”
  • “I hope she understands that she cannot expect a raise”
Synonyms
3.

express a desire for

Origin

From Middle English desir, desire (noun) and desiren (verb), from Old French desirer, desirrer, from Latin dēsīderō (“to long for, desire, feel the want of, miss, regret”), apparently from de- + sidus (in the phrase de sidere, "from the stars") in connection with astrological hopes. Compare consider and desiderate. The verb, along with Old Norse derived want (verb), has mostly replaced native will in modern English.

Phrases

  • alphabet of desire
  • baptism of desire
  • desire line
  • desire path
  • desired effect
  • heart's desire
  • leave a lot to be desired
  • leave much to be desired
  • leave something to be desired
  • mimetic desire
  • to a desire

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.