Trend Watch

Opulent

News coverage of Chelsea Clinton's wedding focused on ...

When:

Opulent was among the most looked-up words on Merriam-Webster for several days beginning on July 30.

Why:

Chelsea Clinton was married on July 31, and news coverage of the affair focused on the posh setting and exclusive guest list.

For example, as AOL News reported,

"The couple chose to wed at Astor Courts, an opulent private Beaux-Arts mansion on 50 wooded acres just outside the village of Rhinebeck."

The word opulent comes from the Latin word meaning "power, wealth" and has come to mean "wealth" or "abundance" in English. Another word from the same root is optimism.


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