Definition of ravenous

The origin of the word "ravenous" can be traced back to the Old French language, specifically the word "ravinous" which meant "consumed with hunger." This word was in turn derived from the Latin "rapax," meaning "greedy" or "avaricious." Interestingly, the word "raven" itself also has a connection to the idea of hunger. In Old English, the word "hræfn" referred to both ravens and the loud cawing sound they made. This Old English word is thought to stem from the Proto-Germanic "hrabhnaz," meaning "ravager" or "ravenous predator". The words "ravinous" and "ravenous" both entered the English language in the medieval period, with the former version being more commonly used in literary texts and the latter becoming more popular in everyday speech. While their meanings remain similar today, modern usage of "ravinous" has expanded to include a sense of greediness for something other than food, such as wealth or knowledge. Overall, the journey of "ravenous" from its roots in Old French to its current usage in the English language offers a fascinating insight into the evolution of language and how words can evolve and mutate over time.