Feeling like you need or want to eat; also strongly wanting something else, like success or attention.
From Old English “hungriġ,” formed from “hunger” plus the adjective suffix “-y.” It has kept its core meaning of needing food.
Your body doesn’t just feel hungry in your stomach; hormones, brain signals, and even smells all join in. That’s why you can feel “hungry” for things that aren’t food at all—your brain reuses the same language for different needs.
‘Hungry’ has been used both literally and metaphorically, with gendered expectations—for example, shaming women for being ‘too hungry’ for food, power, or sex, while praising ambition in men. Diet culture has particularly stigmatized women’s expressions of physical hunger.
Use ‘hungry’ neutrally for all genders; avoid reinforcing stereotypes about who is allowed to express appetite or ambition.
["in need of food","eager for","craving"]
Women have challenged norms that pathologize their hunger—whether for food, education, or leadership—reframing it as a legitimate expression of need and aspiration.
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