ritzy
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- ritzily adverb
- ritziness noun
Etymology
Origin of ritzy
An Americanism first recorded in 1915–20, after the Ritz hotels founded by César Ritz (died 1918), Swiss entrepreneur; see ritz, -y 1
Explanation
Something ritzy is expensive and fancy, like a ritzy living room decorated with heavy brocade curtains and plush velvet cushions. If you're ever invited to a ritzy party, you'll want to dress up in your most luxurious clothes and prepare to enjoy delicious food and opulent decor. The informal adjective ritzy implies luxury that's a little over the top. It was coined around 1910, inspired by the famously elegant Ritz Hotels (™) that César Ritz opened starting internationally in the late 19th century.
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.
While $461 is a lot for a hotel room — and you’ll likely need to get two — perhaps your friends would be fine with less ritzy accommodations.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026
Guests sipped on water and wine, though some were irked by the delay given their tight schedules and ritzy dinners that awaited them.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026
On Victoria Island, a ritzy neighbourhood where Lagos's old money mixes with new, the party was getting under way at Mr. Panther, a lounge six floors up from the streets below.
From Barron's • Dec. 22, 2025
Our palm panoply extends to the ritzy Canary Island date palm, the pygmy date and windmill palms, and a mini-monarchy of queen and king palms, which look a little haphazardly asymmetrical.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025
I catch the midnight bus from Steve's ritzy part of town over to Underhill.
From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon
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.
