Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A strong craving or desire.
  • noun A tendency or propensity.
  • noun A natural attraction or affinity.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act of seeking or craving after that which satisfies the affections, passions, or tastes; desire; inclination; propensity.
  • noun Specifically
  • noun Strong natural craving for that which gratifies the senses; appetite; animal desire: as, “lustful appetence,”
  • noun A mental tendency toward an end; a volition or desire.
  • noun Instinctive inclination or natural tendency.
  • noun In inanimate things, material or chemical attraction or affinity.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A longing; a desire; especially an ardent desire; appetite; appetency.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun the state or action of desiring or craving

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a feeling of craving something

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Probably French appétence, from Latin appetentia, from appetēns, appetent-, present participle of appetere, to strive after; see appetite.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

French appétence, from Latin appetentia, from appetere ("seek after"), from ad + petere ("seek").

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Examples

  • The term appetence or appetency applies not only to organic needs, but also in a general manner to

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 1: Aachen-Assize 1840-1916 1913

  • When we respond to the image of two men kissing with appetence or abhorrence, that evaluation is defined by and defines our personal aesthetic.

    The Art of Life Hal Duncan 2007

  • When we respond to the image of two men kissing with appetence or abhorrence, that evaluation is defined by and defines our personal aesthetic.

    Archive 2007-02-01 Hal Duncan 2007

  • Luiz Cane (9-1) will be making his third appetence in the Octagon and is also coming off his first win in the UFC.

    UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben 2008

  • It is vulgar and it is voracious, the viral and visceral force of appetence.

    V For Venn Diagram Hal Duncan 2006

  • It is vulgar and it is voracious, the viral and visceral force of appetence.

    Archive 2006-05-01 Hal Duncan 2006

  • Is it just the appetence of an Omar Khayyam, the leer of an Abu Nuwas,

    Archive 2005-01-01 Hal Duncan 2005

  • Is it just the appetence of an Omar Khayyam, the leer of an Abu Nuwas,

    Kouroi Hal Duncan 2005

  • Is it just the appetence of an Omar Khayyam, the leer of an Abu Nuwas,

    Archive 1999-01-01 Hal Duncan 1999

  • Is it just the appetence of an Omar Khayyam, the leer of an Abu Nuwas,

    Notes From The Geek Show Hal Duncan 1999

Comments

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  • The voyeur looks because he must.

    To call it a sin is not just.

    It's love in a sense -

    Or it's appetence,

    A eunuchoid version of lust.

    December 4, 2014