Greedy means wanting much more of something than you need, especially in a way that's selfish or excessive. A greedy person at a birthday party might pile their plate with most of the pizza before others get any, or grab handfuls of candy from the bowl. Someone who's greedy for money might refuse to share even when they have plenty, or cheat others to get more.

The word suggests an appetite that goes beyond normal wanting. Everyone wants things, but greediness means letting that desire control you in ways that ignore fairness or hurt others. In the classic story A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge was greedy for wealth, hoarding his money while people around him suffered.

You can be greedy for things besides money or food: greedy for power, attention, or success. A greedy reader might check out a huge stack of library books and keep them past the due date so nobody else can enjoy them. The word often carries a warning, since greed tends to backfire. The greedy dog in Aesop's fable sees his reflection in the water and snaps at it, trying to steal that dog's bone too, and loses his own bone in the process.