# eager

> English word · Adjective · IPA /iɡə/ · frequency rank #6,781

## Definitions
1. Desirous; keen to do or obtain something.
2. Not employing lazy evaluation; calculating results immediately, rather than deferring calculation until they are required.
3. Brittle; inflexible; not ductile.
4. Sharp; sour; acid.
5. Sharp; keen; bitter; severe.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ-
Proto-Indo-European *-rós
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱrós
Proto-Italic *akris
Classical Latin ācer
Late Latin ācrus
Old French aigrebor.
Middle English egre
English eager
Inherited from Middle English egre, eger, from Old French aigre, egre (modern French aigre), from Latin ācrus, variant of ācer (“sharp, keen”); see acid, acerb, etc. Compare vinegar, alegar.

## Easily confused with
- **ear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-ear)
- **ever** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-ever)
- **edge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-edge)
- **ease** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-ease)
- **enter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-enter)
- **eagle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-eagle)
- **eaten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-eaten)
- **edges** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-edges)
- **elder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-elder)
- **Edgar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-edgar)
- **edged** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-edged)
- **eater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-eater)
- **ether** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-ether)
- **eased** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-eased)
- **Elmer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-elmer)
- **ester** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-ester)
- **ember** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-ember)
- **eases** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-eases)
- **eaves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-eaves)
- **eared** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eager-vs-eared)

## Common misspellings (6)
`aeger`, `eaegr`, `eagerr`, `eagger`, `eagre`, `egaer`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/eager