Appetite is used only of the demands of the physical system, unless otherwise expressly stated, as when we say an appetite for knowledge; passion includes all excitable impulses of our nature, as anger, fear, love, hatred, etc.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

desire It is true that we desire to live in a small town.
passion We defy our foes, for our passion makes us strong!
thirst He satisfied his thirst with a large glass of beer.
craving I am always craving new knowledge about anything.
eating It was so hot that she felt like eating ice cream.
tooth An adult tooth came in right next to a baby tooth.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
appetite		rising
desire		rising
passion		rising
thirst		rising
craving		rising
eating		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters: mind¹, urge¹, lust¹, zest¹, gust¹
5 letters: taste¹, tooth¹, gusto²
6 letters: eating², desire³, hunger², liking², thirst¹
7 letters: passion², stomach², craving², longing²
8 letters: tendency³, fondness²
9 letters: hankering³, appetency, appetence, pruriency
10 letters: propensity⁴, proclivity⁴
11 letters: disposition⁴, inclination⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (gusto² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: appétence
Español: apetencia
Català: apetència