appĕtītĭo (adp-), ōnis, f. [appeto], * a grasping at something, a reaching after.
I Lit.: adpetitio solis, Cic. Div. 1, 23, 46.—
II Trop.
A In gen., a passionate longing or striving for something , strong desire or inclination (most freq. in Cic.): aliter adpetitio (eam enim esse volumus ὁρμήν), quā ad agendum impellimur et id adpetimus, quod est visum, moveri non potest, Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 8, 24; so id. Fin. 3, 7, 23; id. N. D. 3, 13, 33: alieni, id. Off. 3, 6, 30: societatis, Sen. Ep. 9.—*
B Esp., a desire for food , an appetite (cf. abstinentia), Gell. 16, 3, 2.