Acquisitive — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ə-ˈkwi-zə-tiv/ ac·quis·i·tive

Meaning & Definition of Acquisitive

Acquisitive (adjective)

  1. strongly desirous of acquiring and possessing

Acquisitive (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions

    "acquisitive developers are trying to tear down the historic home and build a shopping mall"

    similar: avaricious, avid, coveting, covetous, grabby, grasping, greedy, mercenary, moneygrubbing, rapacious
    related: commercialistic, materialistic, philistine, desirous, eager, itchy, lickerish, miserly, hoggish, piggish, piggy, swinish, devouring, gluttonous, gobbling, insatiable, ravenous, unquenchable, voracious, egocentric, egoistic, egotistic, self-centered, self-seeking, discontent, discontented, malcontent, unsatisfied, begrudging, grudging, resentful
    near: nonmaterialistic, altruistic, bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, greathearted, handsome, liberal, magnanimous, munificent, openhanded, openhearted, selfless, unselfish, unsparing, controlled, moderate, restrained, temperate, content, sated, satisfied

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Acquisitive

The most common words with a similar meaning to Acquisitive:

avaricious, avid, coveting, covetous, grabby, grasping, greedy, mercenary, moneygrubbing, rapacious

Related Words for Acquisitive

commercialistic, materialistic, philistine, desirous, eager, itchy, lickerish, miserly, hoggish, piggish, piggy, swinish, devouring, gluttonous, gobbling, insatiable, ravenous, unquenchable, voracious, egocentric, egoistic, egotistic, self-centered, self-seeking, discontent, discontented, malcontent, unsatisfied, begrudging, grudging

Near Antonyms of Acquisitive

nonmaterialistic, altruistic, bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, greathearted, handsome, liberal, magnanimous, munificent, openhanded, openhearted, selfless, unselfish, unsparing, controlled, moderate, restrained, temperate, content, sated, satisfied

Word Forms of Acquisitive

Derived words: acquisitively (adverb), acquisitiveness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Acquisitive

borrowed from French & Late Latin; French acquisitif, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin acquīsītīvus "acquired, involving gain or possession," from Latin acquīsītus (past participle of acquīrere "to acquire") + -īvus -ive

First known use: 1835

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Acquisitive

Frequently Asked Questions about Acquisitive

What does "Acquisitive" mean?

"Acquisitive" means strongly desirous of acquiring and possessing. As an adjective, it is defined as: strongly desirous of acquiring and possessing.

What is another word for "Acquisitive"?

Other words for "Acquisitive" include avaricious, avid, coveting, covetous, grabby, grasping, greedy and mercenary. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Acquisitive" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Acquisitive"?

There are 41 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Acquisitive". Common alternatives include avaricious, avid, coveting, covetous, grabby, grasping, greedy, mercenary, moneygrubbing and rapacious.

How do you use "Acquisitive" in a sentence?

Examples of "Acquisitive" in a sentence: "acquisitive developers are trying to tear down the historic home and build a shopping mall".

Is "Acquisitive" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Acquisitive" is an adjective.

Is "Acquisitive" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Acquisitive" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Acquisitive"?

"Acquisitive" is pronounced /ə-ˈkwi-zə-tiv/ and divided into syllables as ac·quis·i·tive.

What is the origin of the word "Acquisitive"?

"Acquisitive" comes from borrowed from French & Late Latin; French acquisitif, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin acquīsītīvus "acquired, involving gain or possession," from Latin acquīsītus (past participle of acquīrere "to acquire") + -īvus -ive. First known use: 1835.