gluttony

Gluttony is an excessive or compulsive desire to eat or drink, or overeating that goes beyond need. In common usage, it denotes intemperate consumption of food or beverages and is often treated as a vice.

Etymology: from Latin gluttus meaning swallowed, gluttire to swallow greedily; through Old French glotonie to English gluttony. In medieval Christian thought it became one of the seven deadly sins, linking gluttony to moral failing as well as bodily harm.

Religious and moral framing: In Christian tradition, gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins; in some other religious traditions there is a broader emphasis on self-control and moderation in eating and drinking.

Modern psychology/health: Clinically, excessive eating may reflect or contribute to conditions such as binge eating disorder or compulsive overeating; not every instance of overeating qualifies as pathology. Social and economic factors, dieting culture, and accessibility influence patterns of consumption.

Cultural perspectives: Attitudes toward gluttony have varied; some societies emphasize hospitality and abundance, others condemn excess; literature and art have long used gluttony as a symbol of appetite and moral weakness.