luxury

noun

lux·​u·​ry ˈlək-sh(ə-)rē  -zh(ə-)rē 

plural luxuries

1

: a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort : sumptuous environment

lived in luxury

2

a

: something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary

one of life's luxuries

b

: an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease

… had the luxury of rejecting a handful of job offers …

—Terri Minsky

3

archaic : lechery, lust

luxury adjective

Synonyms of luxury

• amenity
• indulgence
• comfort

Examples of luxury in a Sentence

He spent a fortune on expensive wines and other luxuries.

Right now a new car is a luxury that I can't afford.

On my salary, I can afford few luxuries.

We were lucky to have the luxury of choosing from among several good options.

We can't afford the luxury of waiting any longer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Our household had no luxuries, no snack foods, no desserts, no popular culture except what came from the AM radio, and only a few appliances, including a washer but no dryer. —Nicholas Dawidoff, New Yorker, 10 May 2026

Instead of helping the community, the charity's money allegedly fueled a life of luxury for Pollard, paying for trips to Las Vegas, luxury vehicles and massive shopping sprees at a Harley Davidson showroom and spa stores. —Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026

The Miami Grand Prix was also a sea of luxury watches. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 May 2026

The surviving luxury fittings were removed and most of the original steel hull was replaced, its old wartime rivet work replaced with modern welding. —Michael Ballaban, CNN Money, 9 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English luxurie, from Anglo-French luxorie, from Latin luxuria rankness, luxury, excess; akin to Latin luxus luxury, excess

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

luxury

noun

lux·​u·​ry ˈləksh-(ə-)rē  ˈləgzh- 

plural luxuries

1

a

: free use or possession of costly food, dress, or anything that pleases a person

b

: great ease or comfort : rich surroundings

live in luxury

2

a

: something desirable but costly or hard to get

b

: something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary

luxury adjective