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Added 4 October 2026

desire

/dɪˈzaɪə/ verb

In Latin: cupiō, dēsīderō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about desire at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To want; to wish for earnestly.
I desire to speak with you.
To put a request to (someone); to entreat.
To want emotionally or sexually.
She has desired him since they first met.

noun

The feeling of desiring; an eager longing for something.
Too much desire can seriously affect one’s judgement.
Someone or something wished for.
It is my desire to speak with you.
Strong attraction, particularly romantic or sexual.
His desire for her kept him awake at night.

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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