THE FIRST WORD

rapacious

PRONUNCIATION:

(ruh-PAY-shush) 

MEANING:

adjective:
1. Greedy; plundering.
2. (Animals) Living on prey: predacious.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin rapere (to seize). Ultimately from the Indo-European root rep- (to snatch) that also gave us rapid, ravish, ravage, rapt, and r@pe. Earliest documented use: 1572.

USAGE:

"Banana's history involved enough imperious diplomats, corrupt dictators, rapacious tycoons and exploited workers to fill many volumes."
Marc Levinson; Please, No More Bananas; The Wall Street Journal (New York); Jul 2, 2012.