Sybarite
noun
a person devoted to luxury and pleasure.
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Sybarite
American
[sib-uh-rahyt]
/ ˈsɪb əˌraɪt /
noun
-
(usually lowercase) a person devoted to luxury and pleasure.
- Synonyms:
- sensualist
-
an inhabitant of Sybaris.
sybarite
1
British
/ ˈsɪbəˌraɪt /
noun
sybarite
2
British
/ ˈsɪbəˌraɪt, ˌsɪbəˈrɪtɪk /
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
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
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
There is also Sybarite, described yesterday as "my next possible Imperial Commander" in the Albert Bartlett.
From The Guardian • Mar. 1, 2011
Armed with pipes, an invading army from nearby Crotonia assailed the Sybarite cavalry with music, then plunged through the dancing horses to victory.
From Time Magazine Archive
Fish, beefsteaks, cutlets, the most savoury and delicate of curries, fruit and coffee, ought to satisfy a Sybarite.
From Ladies in the Field: Sketches of Sport by Greville, Beatrice Violet Graham
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.
