luxury
Americannoun
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a material object, service, etc., conducive to sumptuous living, usually a delicacy, elegance, or refinement of living rather than a necessity.
Gold cufflinks were a luxury not allowed for in his budget.
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free or habitual indulgence in or enjoyment of comforts and pleasures in addition to those necessary for a reasonable standard of well-being.
a life of luxury on the French Riviera.
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a means of ministering to such indulgence or enjoyment.
This travel plan gives you the luxury of choosing which countries you can visit.
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a pleasure out of the ordinary allowed to oneself.
the luxury of an extra piece of the cake.
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a foolish or worthless form of self-indulgence.
the luxury of self-pity.
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Archaic. lust; lasciviousness; lechery.
adjective
noun
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indulgence in and enjoyment of rich, comfortable, and sumptuous living
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(sometimes plural) something that is considered an indulgence rather than a necessity
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something pleasant and satisfying
the luxury of independence
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(modifier) relating to, indicating, or supplying luxury
a luxury liner
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of luxury
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English luxurie, from Latin luxuria “rankness, luxuriance,” equivalent to luxur- (combining form of luxus “extravagance”) + -ia noun suffix; see -y 3
Explanation
A luxury is something that is pleasant to have or experience, but it is not necessary. For example, eating in a restaurant is a luxury — you can always cook and eat at home. In its earliest days, luxury meant "excess that is sinfully self-indulgent." Over time, this definition softened, losing the air of judgment, but retaining the sense that a luxury is enjoyable or comfortable, but not necessary. We often think of a luxury as something costly, but this isn't always so. For example, being able to sleep late or live within walking distance of loved ones or a beautiful forest can also be luxuries.
Vocabulary lists containing luxury
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 1
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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"The Necklace" and "The Fashion Show"
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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.
See Examples For:
German luxury sports carmaker Porsche, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, said Monday it would cut 5,000 jobs by 2035 as part of a strategic realignment to boost competitiveness.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Landlocked Switzerland’s economy is highly dependent on exports, including its luxury watches, pharmaceuticals and high-tech machinery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Of course, there is a luxury, whisked-from-the-airport version of all this.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
KPC will complete the project on Figueroa Street as designed, Petty said, with 504 residential units, a luxury hotel and a shopping center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
The town is filled with luxury hotels that were built for American tourists.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
The answer is frozen puff pastry, one of life’s still-affordable little luxuries.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
This is the freezer as a larder of little luxuries.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
The money they send no longer pays for small luxuries, he said, because prisons have over the years reduced how much they spend per person on necessities such as food.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
The index was also helped by an uptick for luxuries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
“I can keep all the luxuries up here, but none of the necessities.”
From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson
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.
