Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "sha'awa" shine ƙaƙƙarfan sha'awar mallaka da tara dukiya ko dukiya, sau da yawa a kan cin mutuncin wasu. Yana da kwadayin abin duniya ko riba, da rashin son kashe kudi ko dukiya ga wani ko kuma kai. Yawanci ana danganta bacin rai da son kai, zullumi, da rashin karimci ko damuwa da jin daɗin wasu. Ana daukar ta a matsayin mummunan hali kuma galibi ana kallon ta a matsayin daya daga cikin zunubai bakwai masu kisa a wasu al'adun addini da falsafa.