Definition of SUMPTUOUS

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The word sumptuous can be used to describe both lush surroundings and rich desserts, and it has an equally rich history. The word, which appeared in English in the 15th century, derives via Middle English from the Latin noun sumptus, meaning "expense." "Sumptus" is related to the Latin verb sumere, which means "take" or "spend" and from which we get a treasure trove of useful verbs: "consume" ("to use up or spend"), "subsume" ("to include or place in something larger"), "resume" ("to take up again"), and "assume" ("to take upon oneself"). Another "sumere" descendant is our adjective "sumptuary," which means "relating to one's extravagant expenditures."

Examples of sumptuous in a Sentence

the cruise ship claims to offer sumptuous furnishings, exquisitely prepared cuisine, and stellar entertainment

Recent Examples on the Web

This evening enjoy the intimacy of a private dinner on the Dune Top, a memorable setting for a sumptuous outback meal complemented with premium Australian wines. — Stuart Rigg, Town & Country, "How to Plan a Trip to Australia," 5 Oct. 2016 Stays include round-trip sea shuttle from St. Maarten and a sumptuous breakfast buffet at 20 Knots overlooking the sea. — Melanie Reffes, USA TODAY, "Summer's on sale at luxurious Caribbean resorts," 15 May 2018 Then, in the blink of an eye, Gabriel Mercado crossed the ball and Marcos Rojo — the central defender, the part of the team that symbolizes all that is wrong with this Argentina — produced the purest, most sumptuous volley. — Rory Smith, New York Times, "Amid Argentina’s Drama, Lionel Messi’s Brilliance Emerges," 26 June 2018 The visually sumptuous photographs were all taken on Newhaven Beach in East Sussex, which Talibart began visiting weekly in 2016, arriving at dawn and waiting hours in hopes of catching the perfect light and weather. — Michael Hardy, WIRED, "You've Never Seen Waves Like This Before," 31 May 2018 There are moments that reference classic Hollywood cinema, and glowing, sumptuous close-ups of our hero and heroine, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard). — Katie Walsh, kansascity, "‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’: Dinosaurs on the loose overrun a puny story," 21 June 2018 Barry and Seema and Yontif and Yontif’s sumptuous Seema-grade Croatian girlfriend had whiled away three days together on a yacht off the coast of Sardinia. — Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, "The Luck of Kokura," 18 June 2018 Wander from the creamy pastels of a Venetian palazzo into a sumptuous, boudoir-like interior, and then to a bustling and bawdy room celebrating Casanova’s cunning: gambling, prognosticating, and wooing nuns. — Cate Mcquaid, BostonGlobe.com, "MFA’s ‘Casanova’ a voluptuous look at a notorious voluptuary," 6 July 2018 Hurtado and her feet are again the big talk — this time for her striking paintings of feet and other parts of the female body against depictions of indigenous rugs, blue sky and sumptuous fruit. — Carolina A. Miranda, latimes.com, "Why Luchita Hurtado at 97 is the hot discovery of the Hammer's 'Made in LA' biennial," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sumptuous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.