4 syllables: Co, vet, ous, ness. Stress on Co.
KOH-vit-uh-snuhs
/ˈkoʊvɪtəsnəs/
Covetousness is pronounced KOH-vit-uh-snuhs (/ˈkoʊvɪtəsnəs/). It has four syllables (Co-vet-ous-ness), with the stress on "Co". Covetousness is an intense, often morally judged desire to possess something that belongs to another. It denotes strong greed or envy that drives one to covet. Used mainly in literary or formal contexts, it signals a fault of excessive longing rather than simple wishing.
nounCovetousness is an intense, often morally judged desire to possess something that belongs to another. It denotes strong greed or envy that drives one to covet. Used mainly in literary or formal contexts, it signals a fault of excessive longing rather than simple wishing.
How to Pronounce Covetousness
"Her covetousness for the rival’s success blinded her to her own achievements."
"The sermon warned against the covetousness that can accompany power."
"He surrendered the temptation of covetousness and chose contentment instead."
Pronounce it as /ˈkɒv.ɪtəs.nəs/ (UK) or /ˈkɑː.vɪ.təs.nəs/ (US approximate). The main stress is on the first syllable: CO-vet-ous-ness. Start with a clear /k/ then a short, clipped /ɒ/ (UK) or /ɑː/ (US) followed by /vɪ/ and /təs/, ending with /nəs/. IEP hints: think ‘covet’ + ‘-ous’ + ‘ness’; the sequence /vɪt/ can be gentle, not a hard /vʌt/. For audio reference, listen to standard British English pronunciations of covetousness in dictionaries or Pronounce resources.
Two common errors: 1) Dropping the /t/ in the middle: say /ˈkɒv.ɪ.təs.nəs/ with a crisp /t/—avoid a /d/ substitute or slurred t. 2) Merging syllables too quickly, turning /ˈkɒv.ɪ.təs.nəs/ into /ˈkɒv.ət.nəs/. Practice the sequence slowly, then crescendo. Also ensure the final /nəs/ isn’t pronounced as /nəs/ with nasalization overexplained; keep it light and unstressed.
US tends to rhotically color the /ɑː/ as /ɑ/ or /ɒ/ in stressed syllables depending on region; UK often uses /ˈkɒ.vɪ.təs.nəs/ with shorter /ɒ/ and crisp /t/; AU typically aligns with UK but can slightly draw vowels and reduce the /ə/ in the second syllable. In all, the primary stress remains on the first syllable; the /ɪ/ in the second syllable remains short, and the final /nəs/ remains unstressed. Expect minor vowel quality shifts but preserve the /t/ crispness.
It presents 3 key challenges: the sequence covet- has a light, stressed first syllable yet a quick /vɪ/; the /t/ sits between a soft /ɪ/ and an unstressed /əs/ that can blur; and the final -ness brings a neutral /nəs/ with a weak vowel /ə/ in many dialects. Keeping each segment distinct—/ˈkɒv.ɪ.təs.nəs/—and maintaining breath support helps avoid slurring, especially in rapid speech.
The word’s fourth syllable contains a light schwa before -ness, so the sequence becomes covet-ous-ness rather than covet-ous-ness with a strong stress on the second syllable. The stability of the /ˈkɒv.ɪ.təs.nəs/ pattern across dialects makes it predictable, but the /t/ and /ɪ/ must be precise to avoid confusion with covet and covetous (adjective) forms.
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Covetousness derives from the noun covet (to yearn to possess something belonging to another) plus the suffix -ousness indicating a state or quality. The verb covet comes from Old French covet, covetier, from Latin concupere (to desire eagerly), formed from com- (with) and cupidus (desirous, eager). The English word covet appears in Middle English as coveten, reflecting feudal-age concerns about wealth and land. Covetousness as a noun appears in the 14th century, often in religious or moral discourse, to describe an excessive, transgressive desire. Over time, the sense broadened to refer to any intense greed or hankering after objects, status, or possessions, not merely material wealth. In modern usage, covetousness retains its moral connotation, frequently appearing in biblical or rhetorical contexts to critique avarice and envy. The word’s trajectory mirrors historical shifts in economic thinking, where possessions became a sign of virtue or vice, depending on cultural and religious norms. The pronunciation and spelling have remained stable in standard English, though regional prosodies influence stress and vowel quality that accompany the core morphemes covet- and -ousness. First known uses appear in sermons and moral treatises, with strongest attestation in the King James-era vocabulary that shaped English moral lexicon for centuries.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Covetousness" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Covetousness"
-uth sounds
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