Gula

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɡjuːlə/

Definitions

1. A term used to describe extreme greed or gluttony, especially with regard to food consumption; also represents one of the classical seven deadly sins in moral theology; in some contexts, it can denote indulgence beyond necessity in any form of appetite
2. Referring to excessive desire for more than is needed or deserved, often associated with overeating; recognized as a moral failing or ethical vice relating to self-control; occasionally used metaphorically for overindulgence in various aspects of life
3. Denoting the trait of wanting or consuming too much, typically related to food but also applicable to other cravings; identified as a spiritual or ethical wrongdoing concerning moderation; sometimes employed to describe unrestrained excess in general behavior

Etymology: "Gula" is the Latin word for "throat" or "gullet," and it reached English as a learned borrowing, meaning English writers took it straight from Latin rather than through everyday speech. The body part gave the name to the sin: in Christian teaching, gluttony was one of the seven deadly sins, and "gula" was its Latin name, so greed for food was understood as an appetite that began in the throat. The sense is therefore literal first and moral second. A word for a simple bodily organ became a label for excessive eating, and English adopted the Latin term to name that vice in a more formal register than the native "gluttony" offered.

Synonyms: throat, pharynx