Glutton
/ˈɡlʌtən/noun
A person who habitually eats or consumes too much.
Did you know?In Middle English, glutton could describe not only overeating but also moral excess, because medieval writers treated appetite as a spiritual danger, not just a bad habit.
Etymological Timeline
Old French
OF
glouton
“A greedy eater; a voracious person”
Late Latin
LL
glutto
“A glutton; a greedy devourer”
Latin
L
gluttire
“To gulp down, swallow greedily”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gley- / *gleu-
“To swallow, gulp, or be sticky/slimy (reconstructed root linked to swallowing and gluing notions)”
Middle English
ME
glotoun
“A greedy eater; one who consumes excessively”
Modern English
English
glutton
“A person who eats or consumes excessively”
Explore more surprising origins