lickerousness means the state, quality, or condition of being lickerous.; Fondness for good fare; keen appetite or gluttonous desire. It carries an Arena rating of 1504, earned across 65 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, lickerousness ranks #754 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #2,088 of 17,140 for Most Whimsical Words, #2,178 of 17,163 for Funniest Words, #3,174 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound.
Why “lickerousness” is a great word
LICKEROUSNESS — [Noun] A state of keen, sensual appetite, particularly for dainty foods or exquisite drink, often edged with gluttonous or luxurious desire. From Middle English *likerousnesse* (c1380), equivalent to *lickerous* (from Old French *lecheros*, "gluttonous, lecherous") + the suffix *-ness* (denoting a state or quality). Unlike "gluttony," which implies a coarse and indiscriminate gorging, or "lecherousness," which denotes specifically sexual craving, lickerousness is the gourmand's avarice—a refined, almost artistic greed. It is the covetous eye on a glazed pear tart, the calculated lingering over the bouquet of a rare wine, the greedy anticipation for the last candied violet on a silver plate; a hunger not for sustenance, but for a fleeting, perfect pleasure that satiates the palate only to leave the spirit more acutely aware of its own wanting.
Etymology
From Middle English likerousnesse, equivalent to lickerous + -ness. Compare lecherousness.
noun
- The state, quality, or condition of being lickerous.; Fondness for good fare; keen appetite or gluttonous desire.
- The state, quality, or condition of being lickerous.; Palate; daintiness of taste.e.g.“Thin lips signifieth likerousness and leasing.” — 1503, Shepherd's Kalander:
- The state, quality, or condition of being lickerous.; Longing; craving; greed.e.g.“Here I say will bee seen, whether either fear can make you short, or the likerousness of dominion make you beyond Juftice .” — 1655, The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, Philip Sidney, page 450:
- The state, quality, or condition of being lickerous.; Lasciviousness.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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