Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RA-PAC'I-TY, n. [Fr. rapacité; L. rapacitas, from rapax, rapio.]

1. Addictedness to plunder; the exercise of plunder; the act or practice of seizing by force; as, the rapacity of a conquering army; the rapacity of pirates; the rapacity of a Turkish pashaw; the rapacity of extortioners.
2. Ravenousness; as, the rapacity of animals.
3. The act or practice of extorting or exacting by oppressive injustice.
4. Exorbitant greediness of gain.