Sumptuous
/ˈsʌmp.tʃu.əs/noun
Characterized by great luxury, splendor, or expense.
Did you know?Sumptuous comes from Latin roots tied to ‘expense’ and ‘lavishness,’ showing how language has long linked beauty with power, wealth, and social spectacle.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
sumptuosus
“costly; expensive; lavish”
Latin
Latin
sumptus
“expense; outlay; expenditure”
Latin
Latin
sumere
“to take up, take upon oneself, consume”
14th Century
English
sumptuous
“costly, lavish, splendid”
Modern English
English
sumptuous
“richly luxurious or splendid”