luxurious
Americanadjective
-
characterized by luxury; ministering or conducive to luxury.
a luxurious hotel.
- Antonyms:
- squalid
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given to or loving luxury; wanting or requiring what is choice, expensive, or the like.
a person with luxurious tastes.
- Synonyms:
- epicurean
-
given to pleasure, especially of the senses; voluptuous.
- Synonyms:
- self-indulgent, sensual
-
present or occurring in great abundance, rich profusion, etc.; opulent.
a luxurious harvest; music of luxurious beauty.
-
excessively ornate; overelaborate.
luxurious prose.
adjective
-
characterized by luxury
-
enjoying or devoted to luxury
-
an archaic word for lecherous
Usage
Luxurious is sometimes wrongly used where luxuriant is meant: he had a luxuriant (not luxurious ) moustache; the walls were covered with a luxuriant growth of wisteria
Other Word Forms
-
luxuriouslyadverb
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luxuriousnessnoun
-
overluxuriousadjective
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overluxuriouslyadverb
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overluxuriousnessnoun
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preluxuriousadjective
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preluxuriouslyadverb
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preluxuriousnessnoun
-
quasi-luxuriousadjective
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quasi-luxuriouslyadverb
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superluxuriousadjective
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superluxuriouslyadverb
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superluxuriousnessnoun
-
unluxuriousadjective
-
unluxuriouslyadverb
Etymology
Origin of luxurious
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word luxuriōsus. See luxury, -ous
Explanation
The adjective luxurious describes something that is of very high quality or expensive taste, like your luxurious living room filled with the softest rugs and gorgeous furniture hand-crafted in Italy. In the 14th century, luxurious didn't mean what it does today; it meant "lascivious, lecherous, unchaste." What happened? The invention of bling for one thing, and the rise of a culture that celebrates material pleasures. Today, luxurious translates as exclusive, comfortable, expensive and superior in quality, like a luxurious home featured in a magazine about rich people and their favorite things.
Vocabulary lists containing luxurious
Tuck Everlasting
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This Week in Pop Culture: March 2 - 8, 2019
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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.
Finished with the vivid pea purée and crispy toppings, the whole thing tasted far more luxurious than its pantry origins would suggest.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
She wore a black sparkling gown with a luxurious silver, jewel-encrusted neck adornment.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
Many items from Carrie’s collection are from the luxurious apartment she shared with her husband, Mr. Big.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
The luxurious property is surrounded by lush greenery, which adds another layer of privacy to the remote setting.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026
And romantic stories: how Potter Palmer had been so in love with his wife, Bertha, that he had given her a luxurious hotel, the Palmer House, as a wedding present.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
