adjective
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having or indicating wealth
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abundant or plentiful
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of opulent
1595–1605; < Latin opulentus wealthy, equivalent to op- (stem of ops power, wealth) + -ulentus -ulent
Explanation
Opulent is a word that you will hear a lot around rich people looking to show off. "Remember the opulent buffet at Carrie’s sweet sixteen? Sixteen chocolate cakes iced in gold leaf!" If you want to remember that opulent is a word describing lavish displays of wealth, you can think of the word opal to help you remember it — opal being a rare gem. And if you are lucky enough to be able to afford opulence yourself, don’t describe it that way. The word contains connotations of pretentious. And gold leaf cake aside, who wants that?
Vocabulary lists containing opulent
100 Top "SAT" Words
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Grade 10, List 6
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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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.
There will be exchanges of gifts and displays of items related to Nigeria that are kept in the Royal Collection, before an opulent state banquet in St George's Hall.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
Tamba — Walking into Tamba, you’re immediately struck by the opulent decor and warm welcome from the host.
From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026
Large companies have long flocked to Gulf states as a conference hub, drawn by their extensive flight connections, opulent meeting spaces and, in the case of Dubai, its nightlife and entertainment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
The opulent abode also comes complete with a theater room, sauna, party space, steam room, separate men’s and women’s lockers, a trampoline room with a 20-foot ceiling, offices, and outdoor sports courts.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 24, 2026
We’d trekked through auditoriums all over the country, eaten more fast food than we ever wanted to, and shown up for fancy fund-raisers at homes so opulent we’d had to actively keep ourselves from gawking.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
