Greatly desired or wanted by many people, especially because it's rare or highly valued.
From Latin 'cupere' meaning 'to desire,' which evolved into Old French 'coveitier.' The word entered English in the 13th century and has maintained its sense of intense desire, though it now often implies that something is hard to obtain or exclusive.
The Ten Commandments specifically forbid coveting—the only sin that's purely about your internal thoughts and desires rather than your actions, which made philosophers argue that covetousness might be the most dangerous sin because it leads to all other transgressions. In economics, coveted items create scarcity premiums where people will pay vastly more for something simply because others want it, a psychological phenomenon that luxury brands deliberately cultivate.
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