The Collaborative International Dictionary
Avaricious \Av`a*ri"cious\ ([a^]v`[.a]*r[i^]sh"[u^]s), a. [Cf. F. avaricieux.] Actuated by avarice; greedy of gain; immoderately desirous of accumulating property.
Syn: Greedy; stingy; rapacious; griping; sordid; close.
Usage: Avaricious, Covetous, Parsimonious, Penurious, Miserly, Niggardly. The avaricious eagerly desire wealth with a view to hoard it. The covetous grasp after it at the expense of others, though not of necessity with a design to save, since a man may be covetous and yet a spendthrift. The penurious, parsimonious, and miserly save money by disgraceful self-denial, and the niggardly by meanness in their dealing with others. We speak of persons as covetous in getting, avaricious in retaining, parsimonious in expending, penurious or miserly in modes of living, niggardly in dispensing. [1913 Webster] -- Av`a*ri"cious*ly, adv. -- Av`a*ri"cious*ness, n.
Wiktionary
adv. In a greedy or self-serving manner.
WordNet
adv. in a greedy manner [syn: covetously, greedily]
Usage examples of "avariciously".
Isaac gazed avariciously about him at the charlatanism and cryptoscience.
Eliakim took it, and his small, beadlike eyes sparkled avariciously as he recognized the diamond, for his experience was such that he could form a tolerably correct estimate of its value.
She not only had to keep the peace among her own galaxy of Families but continually to fend off the advances of Dom's bitter enemy, Bad Clams Leonforte, who, now that Dom was dead, was avariciously bent on expanding his domain from the West Coast eastward.