decadent
Americanadjective
-
characterized by decadence, especially culturally or morally.
a decadent life of excessive money and no sense of responsibility.
- Synonyms:
- self-indulgent, debauched, degenerate, immoral, corrupt
-
(often initial capital letter) of or like the decadents.
noun
-
a person who is decadent.
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(often initial capital letter) one of a group of French and English writers of the latter part of the 19th century whose works were characterized by aestheticism, great refinement or subtlety of style, and a marked tendency toward the artificial and abnormal in content.
adjective
-
characterized by decay or decline, as in being self-indulgent or morally corrupt
-
belonging to a period of decline in artistic standards
noun
-
a decadent person
-
(often capital) one of a group of French and English writers of the late 19th century whose works were characterized by refinement of style and a tendency towards the artificial and abnormal
Usage
What does decadent mean? Decadent is used to describe things, such as a society or era, that are thought to be in a state of deterioration or decay, especially due to being excessively morally corrupt or self-indulgent.The state of being decadent is decadence.Decadent is also popularly used in a somewhat figurative way to describe things that are extremely indulgent, especially rich foods, as in That triple chocolate cake is so decadent that I think I can only finish half a piece.When capitalized, the word Decadent has a much more specific meaning. It refers to members of the group of French and English writers in the second half of the 1800s whose works were known for their refined and subtle style and sometimes abnormal content. Writers considered Decadents include French poet Arthur Rimbaud and Irish writer Oscar Wilde.Example: Historians have traditionally depicted the late Roman Empire as a decadent society, but others have debated whether supposed corruption of morals actually contributed to its fall.
Other Word Forms
- decadently adverb
- nondecadent adjective
- overdecadent adjective
- overdecadently adverb
- semidecadent adjective
- semidecadently adverb
- undecadent adjective
- undecadently adverb
Etymology
Origin of decadent
First recorded in 1830–40; back formation from decadence; -ent
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A winter bowl becomes both more decadent and somehow fresher when there’s a little glimmer of fruit tucked inside.
From Salon
Each layer is slathered with a decadent mixture of brown sugar, butter and cinnamon that will melt into warm, sugary goodness while baking.
From Salon
A few days later, I made a decadent three-tiered espresso martini cake for my best friend’s 27th birthday, followed by a poached pear frangipane tart and a berry pavlova that I shared with my roommate.
From Salon
It imagines a queer life for William and Kate’s pride and joy as this young royal defiantly and decadently comes of age.
From Los Angeles Times
Murray’s Cheese Decadent Gems – Murray’s wasn’t exaggerating with the word decadent.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
