greedy

/ˈɡriːdi/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡriːdi/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgrē-dē/ (ame, mw)

greedy — adjective

  • greedypositive
  • greediercomparative
  • greediestsuperlative

1. having a need or wish for food, money, possessions, or power that is much strong

1.形容詞B1
釋義

having a need or wish for food, money, possessions, or power that is much stronger than is normal, so that you always want more than you have or more than other people get.

例句

Asher's greedy cousin took the last three pieces of cake before anyone else could reach for one.

collocation: greedy + family member noun

The landlord was so greedy that he raised the rent every year even though nothing had improved.

同義詞
  • avaricious

    more formal, specifically about desiring wealth or money rather than food or power

  • materialistic

    focuses on valuing possessions and physical goods over other aspects of life

  • covetous

    formal; describes a strong desire for something that belongs to someone else

反義詞
  • generous

    willing to give or share what you have with others

  • selfless

    caring more about other people's needs than your own

文法句型

greedy for + [desired thing]

greedy + noun

be + greedy

用法筆記

Frequently used with the preposition 'for' to indicate what is wanted (e.g., greedy for power, greedy for attention). Can also be used with 'with' to describe someone who does not like to share (e.g., greedy with his money). The word can describe either a temporary act or a lasting part of someone's personality.

常見錯誤

❌He is greedy of money.
✅He is greedy for money.
💡'greedy' is followed by 'for', not 'of', when stating what a person wants.
❌She was greedy to eat all the cookies.
✅She was greedy and ate all the cookies.
💡'greedy' cannot be directly followed by a to-infinitive verb.

2. in computing and mathematics, describing a method of solving problems where the

2.形容詞C1
釋義

in computing and mathematics, describing a method of solving problems where the best possible choice is made at each individual step, without planning ahead for how that decision will affect later stages.

例句

In the programming class, Leo learned how a greedy algorithm finds the shortest path one step at a time.

computing term: greedy algorithm + one step at a time

A greedy solution to the scheduling problem picks the earliest-ending task without looking any further ahead.

同義詞
  • locally optimal

    the technical property a greedy method pursues; not a direct synonym but related in meaning

  • stepwise

    describes any method that proceeds one step at a time, not necessarily with greedy choices

反義詞
  • globally optimal

    describes a solution that is best overall, not just at each step

文法句型

greedy + algorithm / method / approach / solution

用法筆記

Only used attributively (before a noun) in computing or mathematics contexts — e.g., a greedy algorithm, a greedy approach. Does not describe a person's character. The term comes from the idea that the method is 'greedy' in seeking immediate gain without considering the future.