desire
pronunciation
How to pronounce desire in British English:
UK [dɪˈzaɪə(r)]
How to pronounce desire in American English:
US [dɪˈzaɪər]
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- Noun:
- the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
- an inclination to want things
- something that is desired
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- Verb:
- feel or have a desire for; want strongly
- expect and wish
- express a desire for
Word Origin
- desire
- desire: [13] The underlying etymological meaning of desire is something of a mystery. Like consider, it comes ultimately from a base related to Latin sīdus ‘star’, but the links in the semantic chain that would lead us back from ‘desire’ to ‘star’ have not all been successfully reconstructed. It does at least seem, though, that before the word denoted ‘wanting’, it signified ‘lack’. English acquired it via Old French desirer, but has also gone back directly to the past participle of Latin dēsīderāre for desideratum ‘something desirable’ [17].=> consider, sidereal
- desire (v.)
- early 13c., from Old French desirrer (12c.) "wish, desire, long for," from Latin desiderare "long for, wish for; demand, expect," original sense perhaps "await what the stars will bring," from the phrase de sidere "from the stars," from sidus (genitive sideris) "heavenly body, star, constellation" (but see consider). Related: Desired; desiring.
- desire (n.)
- c. 1300, from Old French desir, from desirer (see desire (v.)); sense of "lust" is first recorded mid-14c.
Example
- 1. Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself .
- 2. We all desire change in our lives .
- 3. Why not act on intention , on desire ?
- 4. But he also tapped a wider desire for change .
- 5. But he alone of european leaders has the desire and the ability to try .