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Definition of greedy

greedy

/ˈɡriːdi/
gree · dy
Adverb:greedily
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greedy Lexical Profile

greedy Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Having or showing an intense, selfish desire for wealth, power, or possessions, far beyond what one needs.

Example

"The greedy landlord raised the rent twice in a single year without making any repairs to the building."

2

Having an excessive or insatiable desire for food or drink.

Example

"The greedy puppiesfinished their own bowls of kibble and immediately tried to steal from the older dog."

3

In computing and mathematics, denoting an algorithm that makes the locally optimal choice at each stage with the hope of finding a global optimum.

Example

"A greedy algorithm works well for the coin-change problem with standard denominations, though it does not always yield the optimal solution for arbitrary coin sets."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for greedy

• Nearby Words

greed
greedily
greediness
greedy
greek
greek salad
greek tortoise

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the Old English 'grædig', meaning voracious or covetous, which comes from a Proto-Germanic root signifying hunger or eager desire.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Greedy. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/greedy
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