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• epicurean
  epicurean

  adjective

  fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking.
• Epicurean
  Epicurean

  adjective

  of or relating to the philosophy of Epicurus

epicurean

American  

[ep-i-kyoo-ree-uhn, -kyoor-ee-] / ˌɛp ɪ kyʊˈri ən, -ˈkyʊər i- /

adjective

1. fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking.

2. fit for an epicure.

   epicurean delicacies.

   Synonyms:

   rich, deluxe, lavish, luxury, gourmet

   Antonyms:

   frugal, modest, plain, simple, austere

3. (initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of Epicurus or Epicureanism.

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noun

1. an epicure.

2. (initial capital letter) a disciple of Epicurus.

epicurean ¹ British  

/ ˌɛpɪkjʊˈriːən /

adjective

1. devoted to sensual pleasures, esp food and drink; hedonistic

2. suitable for an epicure

   an epicurean feast

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noun

1. an epicure; gourmet

Epicurean ² British  

/ ˌɛpɪkjʊˈriːən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the philosophy of Epicurus

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noun

1. a follower of the philosophy of Epicurus

Other Word Forms

• Epicureanism
  noun
• epicureanism
  noun
• nonepicurean
  adjective
• unepicurean
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of epicurean

1350–1400; Middle English Epicurien < Latin Epicūrē ( us ) of Epicurus (< Greek Epikoúreios ) + -an

Explanation

Used as a noun or adjective, epicurean refers to a devotion to pleasure or refined, sensuous enjoyment, especially of good food and drink. Epicurus, the ancient Greek philosopher this word was named after, taught his students that pleasure was a sign of the good, and pain a sign of evil. Thus the "good life" was one filled with pleasure and the avoidance of pain. Over the centuries, epicurean has come to refer to the pursuit of the finer things in life, and the word has a whole host of great synonyms, including luxurious, voluptuous, hedonistic, and, as a noun, bon vivant.

Example Sentences

Its subject was Greek Epicurean philosophy, which teaches that fulfilment can be found through the pleasure of everyday things.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2025

But that doesn't stop him from blatantly misunderstanding the Greek philosopher Epicurus in his nonsensical complaint about "Epicurean liberalism."

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2023

A few Latin works have been identified, but most of these contain Greek texts relating to the Epicurean school of philosophy.

From Scientific American • Oct. 17, 2023

Mat Pond operates The Epicurean Trader in San Francisco, including four brick-and-mortar stores, an online shop and a corporate gift basket business.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 16, 2022

Thomas Hobbes, although he was not an atomist, had developed a materialist, Epicurean philosophy which was universally understood to be hostile to religion.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton