voluptuous
Americanadjective
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full of, characterized by, or ministering to indulgence in luxury, pleasure, and sensuous enjoyment.
a voluptuous life.
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derived from gratification of the senses.
voluptuous pleasure.
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directed toward or concerned with sensuous enjoyment or sensual pleasure.
voluptuous desires.
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sensuously pleasing or delightful.
voluptuous beauty.
adjective
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relating to, characterized by, or consisting of pleasures of the body or senses; sensual
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disposed, devoted, or addicted to sensual indulgence or luxurious pleasures
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provocative and sexually alluring, esp through shapeliness or fullness
a voluptuous woman
Synonym Usage
See sensual.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of voluptuous
First recorded 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin voluptuōsus, equivalent to volupt(ās), “pleasure” + -ōsus -ous; -u- probably by association with sumptuōsus sumptuous
Explanation
The adjective voluptuous is used to describe someone who is attractive and curvy. Marilyn Monroe was known for her voluptuous figure. Being voluptuous means being full-figured and curvy, but this word doesn't only apply to body types. A house that's luxurious, lavishly decorated, and full of delicious food could also be called voluptuous. This word derives from a Latin root meaning "delightful or pleasurable."
Vocabulary lists containing voluptuous
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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.
The lushness of the cinematography—with its beautiful people, landscapes, improbable sculptures, impractical machines and galaxy of light and dust—is as voluptuous as the festival itself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Here beauty is celebrated with voluptuous rapture, setting the mood for “Oh, Yemanja,” a mythic, watery mother’s prayer from Tania León’s opera “Scourge of Hyacinths.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2026
Its narrative arc is as thoroughly well-documented as that voluptuous lobster spaghetti.
From Salon ● Mar. 10, 2024
"For instance, women in Bollywood films 30 years ago were more voluptuous than that globalised supermodel standard of beauty," Ms Vohra says.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2023
She looked more like me and Juanita now, strong and voluptuous, but tired from working so hard.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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.
