sumptuous
adjective
Did you know?
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
Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 21 Nov. 2025
Diana also had a penchant for sumptuous velvets and that slinky body-skimming silhouette.
—Monique Jessen, PEOPLE, 20 Nov. 2025
Just in time for the holiday season, Robb Report 672 Napa Valley Wine Club is readying its final offering of the year, featuring three sumptuous reds from America’s premiere wine region.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2025
Museum-caliber furniture and objects, major artworks from François Pinault’s personal collection, yards of colorful marble and bespoke, mottled carpeting add up to a sumptuous environment reminiscent of the home of a serious collector — and fiercely chic fashion plate.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 18 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Sumptuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sumptuous. Accessed 26 Nov. 2025.
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sumptuous
adjective
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