noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/ˈiɡɚnəs/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈiːɡənəs/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:IY1 G ER0 N AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The state or quality of being eager; ardent desire.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Tartness, sourness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
prompt willingness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
readiness to continue discussions
they showed no eagerness to spread the gospel
they disliked his zeal in demonstrating his superiority
he tried to explain his forwardness in battle
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: readiness, zeal, forwardness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: willingness
4
noun
Meaning 4
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: avidity, avidness, keenness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: enthusiasm
Narrower terms: ardor, ardour, elan, zeal
History
Etymology
From Middle English egernesse, egrenesse; equivalent to eager + -ness.
Across languages
Translations
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
желание
(želanie)
— The state or quality of being eager
Bulgarian:
готовност
(gotovnost)
— The state or quality of being eager
Bulgarian:
нетърпение
(netǎrpenie)
— The state or quality of being eager
Catalan:
ànsia
— The state or quality of being eager
Catalan:
afany
— The state or quality of being eager
Esperanto:
entuziasmo
— The state or quality of being eager
Galician:
arela
— The state or quality of being eager
Galician:
afán
— The state or quality of being eager
German:
Eifer
— The state or quality of being eager
Gothic:
𐌰𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽
(aljan)
— The state or quality of being eager
Ancient Greek:
προθυμία
(prothumía)
— The state or quality of being eager
Hindi:
उतावलापन
(utāvlāpan)
— The state or quality of being eager
Hindi:
अधीरता
(adhīrtā)
— The state or quality of being eager
Hindi:
उत्सुकता
(utsuktā)
— The state or quality of being eager
Latin:
studium
— The state or quality of being eager
Māori:
pōnānātanga
— The state or quality of being eager
Portuguese:
ânimo
— The state or quality of being eager
Spanish:
avidez
— The state or quality of being eager
Spanish:
ansia
— The state or quality of being eager
Spanish:
ganas
— The state or quality of being eager
Spanish:
afán
— The state or quality of being eager
Spanish:
cuita
— The state or quality of being eager
Swedish:
iver
— The state or quality of being eager
Uyghur:
ئىشتىياق
(ishtiyaq)
— The state or quality of being eager
Volapük:
ledesir
— The state or quality of being eager
