Sybarite
Americannoun
-
(usually lowercase) a person devoted to luxury and pleasure.
- Synonyms:
- sensualist
-
an inhabitant of Sybaris.
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- sybaritic adjective
- sybaritically adverb
- sybaritism noun
Etymology
Origin of Sybarite
1590–1600; < Latin Sybarīta < Greek Sybarī́tēs. See Sybaris, -ite 1
Explanation
If you know someone who's totally addicted to luxurious things and all of life's pleasures, call her a sybarite. Unless she's inviting you over for champagne brunches and showering you with gifts — in which case you should keep your mouth shut. Sybarite was first recorded in the 1600s, meaning a “person devoted to pleasure.” The literal translation of this noun is “inhabitant of Sybaris,” which was an ancient Greek town full of citizens who loved nice things. Today, the word still has the same two meanings: it's either a person who could be described as addicted to pleasures and luxury (like a hedonist), or an actual person who lives in Sybaris.
Vocabulary lists containing sybarite
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Enjoy! Synonyms for "Pleasure"
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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.
The Maranello flagship, for example, was overhauled by London’s Sybarite studio and given an undulating facade of red glass and white brick walls.
From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2021
His runner is Sybarite, a 16-1 shot with excellent form claims.
From The Guardian • Mar. 11, 2011
An extra three furlongs looks sure to help Sybarite and the race in which he ran in November has been an excellent pointer.
From The Guardian • Mar. 11, 2011
To amuse themselves, according to legend, the superb Sybarite cavalrymen trained their horses to dance to pipe music.
From Time Magazine Archive
They say that Alcisthenes the Sybarite had a garment of such magnificence that when he exhibited it in the Temple of Juno at Lacinium, where all Italy was congregated, it attracted universal attention.
From The Art of Needle-work, from the Earliest Ages, 3rd ed. Including Some Notices of the Ancient Historical Tapestries by Menzies, Sutherland, fl. 1840-1883
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.
