sumptuary law

American  

noun

1. a law regulating personal habits that offend the moral or religious beliefs of the community.

2. a law regulating personal expenditures designed to restrain extravagance, especially in food and dress.

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sumptuary law British  

noun

1. (formerly) a law imposing restraint on luxury, esp by limiting personal expenditure or by regulating personal conduct in religious and moral spheres

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Etymology

Origin of sumptuary law

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sumptuary law

I was opposed to it because I thought there would be great difficulty in its enforcement, it being more or less like a sumptuary law.

From Time Magazine Archive

I mumble thanks for the advice, feeling like I’ve just been stripped naked by the crazed enforcer of some ancient sumptuary law: No chatting for you, girl.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Mr. Holmes justly remarks: "This sumptuary law, for the matter and style, is a curiosity."

From The Loyalists of America and Their Times, Vol. 1 of 2. From 1620-1816 by Ryerson, Egerton

The sumptuary law for burying the dead in woollen, still occupies its place in their statute book.

From Domestic Animals History and description of the horse, mule, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and farm dogs; with directions for their management, breeding, crossing, rearing, feeding, and preparation for a profitable market; also their diseases and remedies. Together with full directions for the management of the dairy. by Allen, Richard L.

Another was a sumptuary law, which is said to have limited the price of certain luxuries.

From The Gracchi Marius and Sulla Epochs of Ancient History by Beesley, A.H.