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Dictionary / desire

desire

/dɪˈzaɪə/ (Received-Pronunciation)/dɪˈzaɪɹ/ (General-American)/dɪˈzaɪɚ/ (General-American)syllables: de·sire
  • verb
  • noun
  • from Old French

To want; to wish for earnestly.

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1 All current definitions

Every sense of “desire” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

verb

  1. To want; to wish for earnestly.

    I desire to speak with you.

  2. To put a request to (someone); to entreat.

    And when they founde no cause of deeth in hym, yet desired they Pilate to kyll him.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts:

  3. To want emotionally or sexually.

    She has desired him since they first met.

  4. To express a wish for; to entreat; to request.

    Then shee said, Did I desire a sonne of my Lord ? did I not say, Doe not deceiue me?1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Kings 4:28:

  5. To require; to demand; to claim.

    A doleful case desires a doleful song.c. 1580, Edmund Spenser, The Teares of the Muses:

  6. To miss; to regret.

    She shall be pleasant while she lives, and desired when she dies.1651–1653, Jer[emy] Taylor, ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ [Eniautos]. A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays of the Year. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Royston […], published 1655, →OCLC:

Wiktionary: “desire” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

noun

  1. uncountableusuallyThe feeling of desiring; an eager longing for something.

    Too much desire can seriously affect one’s judgement.

  2. countableusuallySomeone or something wished for.

    It is my desire to speak with you.

  3. uncountableusuallyStrong attraction, particularly romantic or sexual.

    His desire for her kept him awake at night.

  4. uncountableusuallyMotivation.
Wiktionary: “desire” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (6)
  1. nounthe feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
  2. nounan inclination to want things
  3. nounsomething that is desired
  4. verbfeel or have a desire for; want strongly — also: want
  5. verbexpect and wish — also: hope, trust
  6. verbexpress a desire for
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: wanna, want-to, ambition, appetite, appetition, aspiration, avidity, cacoethes, concupiscence, craving, cupidity, desire

Antonyms: apathy, contempt, disinterest, distaste, hatred

Wiktionary: “desire” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)desire
  2. Middle Englishdesir
  3. Old Frenchdesirer
  4. Latindēsīderō “to long for, desire, feel the want of, miss, regret”
  5. Latinde- + sidus (in the phrase de sidere)

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.

Wiktionary: “desire” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “desire”

desiring-productiondesirivecounterdesiredesirablydesirefuldesirelessdesirementmisdesirenondesireundesire

Phrases & compounds

desired effectleave a lot to be desiredleave much to be desiredleave something to be desiredalphabet of desirebaptism of desiredesire linedesire pathheart's desiremimetic desireto a desire

Related terms

desideratumdesirabilitydesirabledesirablenesssiderealundesirabilityundesirablenessdesiring-productiondesirousvelleityintention
Wiktionary: “desire” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “desire” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “desire” came from before it was English.

Came into English from
Old French
Old French desirer
Oldest written form
Latin
Latin de- + sidus
Wiktionary: “desire” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Latin
“to long for, desire, feel the want of, miss, regret”
Latin dēsīderō
Wiktionary: “desire” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

desire v. t. [F. d, L. desiderare, origin uncertain, perh. fr. de- + sidus star, constellation, and hence orig., to turn the eyes from the stars. Cf. Consider, and Desiderate, and see Sidereal.]

  1. To long for; to wish for earnestly; to covet.
  2. To express a wish for; to entreat; to request.
  3. To require; to demand; to claim.
  4. To miss; to regret.

desire n. [F. d, fr. d. See Desire, v. t.]

  1. The natural longing that is excited by the enjoyment or the thought of any good, and impels to action or effort its continuance or possession; an eager wish to obtain or enjoy.
  2. An expressed wish; a request; petition.
  3. Anything which is desired; an object of longing.
  4. Excessive or morbid longing; lust; appetite.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

verbMeaning: To want; to wish for earnestly.

I desire to speak with you.

Neither shall any man desire thy land.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 34:24:

verbMeaning: To put a request to (someone); to entreat.

And when they founde no cause of deeth in hym, yet desired they Pilate to kyll him.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts:

Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter III, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 15:

verbMeaning: To want emotionally or sexually.

She has desired him since they first met.

verbMeaning: To express a wish for; to entreat; to request.

Then shee said, Did I desire a sonne of my Lord ? did I not say, Doe not deceiue me?1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Kings 4:28:

Desire him to go in; trouble him no more.c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act

verbMeaning: To require; to demand; to claim.

A doleful case desires a doleful song.c. 1580, Edmund Spenser, The Teares of the Muses:

verbMeaning: To miss; to regret.

She shall be pleasant while she lives, and desired when she dies.1651–1653, Jer[emy] Taylor, ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ [Eniautos]. A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays of the Year. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Royston […], published 1655, →OCLC:

nounMeaning: an inclination to want things

a man of many desires

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “desire” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 10

Say it, then spell it

desire

/dɪˈzaɪə/ · de·sire

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

desire

/dɪˈzaɪə/ · de·sire · verb, noun

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “desire” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (verb) To want; to wish for earnestly.
2. (verb) To put a request to (someone); to entreat.
3. (verb) To want emotionally or sexually.
4. (verb) To express a wish for; to entreat; to request.
5. (verb) To require; to demand; to claim.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“I desire to speak with you.”

A. The feeling of desiring; an eager longing for something.
B. To put a request to (someone); to entreat.
C. To want; to wish for earnestly.

Circle the meaning used.

“She has desired him since they first met.”

A. To want; to wish for earnestly.
B. To want emotionally or sexually.
C. To express a wish for; to entreat; to request.

Circle the meaning used.

“Too much desire can seriously affect one’s judgement.”

A. To put a request to (someone); to entreat.
B. To require; to demand; to claim.
C. The feeling of desiring; an eager longing for something.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “desire” come into English from?   A. Old French  B. Middle Dutch  C. Medieval Latin  D. Late Latin

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “desire” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

The earliest traceable form is Latin dēsīderō. What did it mean?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “desire” to mean: To want; to wish for earnestly.
Write a sentence using “desire” to mean: To put a request to (someone); to entreat.
Write a sentence using “desire” to mean: To want emotionally or sexually.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — desire

Which meaning, sentence 1: C. To want; to wish for earnestly.

Which meaning, sentence 2: B. To want emotionally or sexually.

Which meaning, sentence 3: C. The feeling of desiring; an eager longing for something.

Origin: A. Old French (Old French desirer)

Journey: English desire ← Middle English desir ← Old French desirer ← Latin dēsīderō ← Latin de- + sidus

Some derivatives: desiring-production, desirive, counterdesire, desirably, desireful, desireless, desirement, misdesire

Original meaning: Latin dēsīderō — “to long for, desire, feel the want of, miss, regret”

Etymology: 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.

Sources: Wiktionary “desire” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/desire#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/desire