coveten

Coveten is a Dutch verb meaning to covet, or to have a strong, often disapproved desire for something that belongs to someone else. The term conveys more than a simple wish; it denotes a craving that can carry moral connotations, similar to the English concept of covetousness.

Origin and cognates: Coveten is of Germanic origin and is cognate with the English verb covet. It sits within a family of Dutch terms related to desire and longing, and in practice it is most often found in formal, literary, or religious contexts.

Usage and register: In contemporary Dutch, coveten appears primarily in formal or philosophical writing and in discussions of ethics, morality, or law. In everyday speech, speakers more commonly use verbs such as begeeren or verlangen. The word is sometimes invoked in discussions of the Tenth Commandment or moral prohibitions against coveting a neighbor’s possessions, where its charged sense is most evident.

Grammatical notes: Coveten is a regular verb in Dutch and follows the standard conjugation pattern for -en verbs. It typically takes a direct object indicating what is coveted, e.g., coveten iemands bezittingen, though more colloquial language would often substitute a synonym like verlangen.

See also: Covetousness, Envy, Greed, Desire, Verlangen.