Seeking or characterized by a strong desire for revenge or retribution.
From 'avenge' (from Old French 'avengier', from Latin 'ad-' and 'vindicare' meaning to claim or punish) plus '-ful' (full of). This adjective describes someone motivated by vengeance.
While 'vengeful' is common, 'avengeful' is rarer and adds a subtle difference—'vengeful' is the emotion, but 'avengeful' suggests the active pursuit of justice or payback, which is why it appears in dramatic literature when heroes set out to right wrongs.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.