The word sumptuous typically describes things that can only be had at some significant expense, a fact that keeps the modern English word tied to its Latin source: sumptus, meaning "expense." Another English adjective, sumptuary, has the same Latin source, but today is found mostly in the context of sumptuary laws, largely historical regulations limiting extravagant expenditures and habits, especially on moral or religious grounds.
the cruise ship claims to offer sumptuous furnishings, exquisitely prepared cuisine, and stellar entertainment
Recent Examples on the WebThe resources for patient care and comfort were sumptuous in some facilities, spartan in others. Gracie Himmelstein, STAT, 21 Sep. 2022 The designers who crafted the sumptuous screening room at Brooklyn Crossing might consider second careers as college roundball coaches. Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2022 This part of the film is the least sumptuous and grandiose — and the most affecting. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 23 Aug. 2022 The lounge and furnishings are sumptuous and luxe, with lounge chairs, couches, and banquettes made from the finest leather, canvas, and teak. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2022 Bentley was the first of the top-shelf global brands to cotton on, introducing the powerful and sumptuous Bentayga in 2015. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 14 July 2022 Painted in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, the Dutch artist’s hellscapes are both warnings for Christians hoping to avoid an afterlife of eternal pain and visually sumptuous feats of imagination. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2022 To go along with its luxury purview, the RZ is also likely to have a more sumptuous interior than its Toyota sibling. Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 2 Dec. 2021 Like the dining room, the snack is sumptuous, and a hint of the heat and spice to follow on the modern Indian menu. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin sumptuosus, from sumptus