Avid

How to spell avid

4 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce avid

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does avid mean?

1. adjectiveHaving or showing keen interest and enthusiasm for something.

Avid in a sentence

• She is an avid reader who finishes a novel every week.

• My uncle is an avid collector of vintage stamps.

Where does avid come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The word comes from the Latin adjective avidus, which meant 'eager', 'greedy', or 'longing for' something. That adjective was built on the verb avere, meaning 'to crave' or 'to desire', so the original sense carried a real hunger to it rather than mild interest. English took the word in through French avide during the early 1600s, and it kept the strong flavour of intense enthusiasm. The same avere root also lies behind 'avarice', the greedy hoarding of money, which is a useful reminder that avid once meant something close to greedy. Because the word is short and spelled exactly as it sounds, the only real care needed is remembering it ends in a plain -id rather than the -ed of a verb ending.

How the word is built

• avid- (from Latin avidus: eager, greedy)
• base adjective