glutton

views updated May 14 2018

glut·ton / ˈglətn/ • n. 1. an excessively greedy eater. ∎  a person who is excessively fond of or always eager for something: a glutton for adventure.2. another term for wolverine, esp. the European species.PHRASES: a glutton for punishment a person who is always eager to undertake hard or unpleasant tasks.DERIVATIVES: glut·ton·ize / -ˌīz/ v.glut·ton·ous / -əs/ adj.glut·ton·ous·ly / -əslē/ adv.ORIGIN: Middle English: from Old French gluton, from Latin glutton-, related to gluttire ‘to swallow,’ gluttus ‘greedy,’ and gula ‘throat.’

glutton

views updated May 23 2018

glutton
A. gormandizer XIII;

B. voracious animal, wolverine XVII. — OF. gluton, gloton (mod. glouton) :- L. gluttō, -ōn-, rel. to gluttīre swallow, gluttus greedy, and further to gula throat.
Hence gluttonous XIV.

glutton

views updated May 23 2018

glutton (wolverine, Gulo gulo) See MUSTELIDAE.