sumptuous
adjective
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Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens may be a few of your favorite things, but are they sumptuous? Alas, though the best things in life are often free, sumptuous is a child of the Latin word sumptus, meaning “expense,” and it typically describes things that can only be had at some significant expense. A sumptuous lifestyle, for example, is more likely to involve silver-white bling than a silver-white winter that melts into spring. Sumptus has another English relation, this one tied even more closely to conspicuous consumption: sumptuary laws are largely historical regulations limiting extravagant expenditures and habits, especially on moral or religious grounds. (The sump in consumption is coincidental; that word comes from consume, which has its roots in Latin sumere meaning “to take up, take.”)
Examples of sumptuous in a Sentence
Katie Rife, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2025
Panera baked up three sweet new seasonal treats for the holidays, including a sumptuous frozen hot chocolate and a mini vanilla cake with flavors of creme brulee.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
All in all, a sumptuous, stylish take on the naked dress trend.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2025
Taking inspiration from The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Douglas Sirk melodramas of the '50s, director Ti West delights in playing with contrasts in Pearl, adorning grisly murders and a terrifying lead performance with a sumptuous score and rich, saturated colors.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Sumptuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sumptuous. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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sumptuous
adjective
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