voluptuary

[ vuh-luhp-choo-er-ee ]

noun

, plural vo·lup·tu·ar·ies.

1. a person whose life is devoted to the pursuit and enjoyment of luxury and sensual pleasure.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by preoccupation with luxury and sensual pleasure:

   voluptuary tastes.

voluptuary

/ vəˈlʌptjʊərɪ /

noun

1. a person devoted or addicted to luxury and sensual pleasures

adjective

1. of, relating to, characterized by, or furthering sensual gratification or luxury

Word History and Origins

Origin of voluptuary¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from French voluptuaire, from Late Latin voluptuārius, from Latin “pertaining to (sensual) pleasure,” equivalent to volupt(ās) “pleasure, delight” + -ārius adjective suffix; -ary; for -u- voluptuous

Word History and Origins

Origin of voluptuary¹

C17: from Late Latin voluptuārius delightful, from Latin voluptās pleasure

Example Sentences

It was also an occasion for voluptuary displays of tough-mindedness.

From The Daily Beast

But the loathsome death of this brutal voluptuary soon delivered the church from the most implacable of its foes.

From Project Gutenberg

He was a voluptuary in Art, and no one enjoyed real masterpieces with more refinement, passion, and sensuousness than he did.

From Project Gutenberg

This was lost upon an audience insufficiently familiar with the works of that great voluptuary.

From Project Gutenberg

Aristippus, the founder of the Cyreniac school, was a sort of philosophic voluptuary, teaching that pleasure is the end of life.

From Project Gutenberg

What security had he, that in this change of place and condition, he should not degenerate into a tyrant and voluptuary?

From Project Gutenberg