sumptuous
adjective
sump·tu·ous
ˈsəm(p)(t)-shə-wəs 
-shəs,
-shwəs
: extremely costly, rich, luxurious, or magnificent
sumptuous banquets
a sumptuous residence
also
: magnificent sense 4
sumptuously
adverb
sumptuousness
noun
Did you know?
The word sumptuous typically describes things that can only be had at some significant expense, a fact that keeps the modern English word tied to its Latin source: sumptus, meaning "expense." Another English adjective, sumptuary, has the same Latin source, but today is found mostly in the context of sumptuary laws, largely historical regulations limiting extravagant expenditures and habits, especially on moral or religious grounds.
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
Design and Accommodations With glossy lacquered wood, intricate marquetry, sumptuous fabrics, and lamps by Lalique and Baccarat, the VSOE exudes Jazz Age glamour.
—
Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2025
Image Image Throughout, Bob, as his American friends still call him, or Roberto, as his Spanish and Italian ones do, has remained consistently low-key, a gray man in a world of outsized personalities cloaked in sumptuous scarlet cassocks, an earnest admin of the apostles.
—Mitra Taj, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Where to stay One Aldwych Book now Covent Garden’s sumptuous boutique hotel has a four-bedroom offering, the Somerset Suite, in which the concierge provides mini bathrobes and slippers, rubber ducks, and additional amenities for the smallest members of the family.
—Kathryn Romeyn, AFAR Media, 16 May 2025
Met Gala attendees are known to drape themselves in sumptuous fabrics and sweeping trains, but Sabrina Carpenter strutted in the opposite direction at this year’s event.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sumptuous
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Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2025
Image Image Throughout, Bob, as his American friends still call him, or Roberto, as his Spanish and Italian ones do, has remained consistently low-key, a gray man in a world of outsized personalities cloaked in sumptuous scarlet cassocks, an earnest admin of the apostles.
—Mitra Taj, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Where to stay One Aldwych Book now Covent Garden’s sumptuous boutique hotel has a four-bedroom offering, the Somerset Suite, in which the concierge provides mini bathrobes and slippers, rubber ducks, and additional amenities for the smallest members of the family.
—Kathryn Romeyn, AFAR Media, 16 May 2025
Met Gala attendees are known to drape themselves in sumptuous fabrics and sweeping trains, but Sabrina Carpenter strutted in the opposite direction at this year’s event.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sumptuous
Cite this Entry
“Sumptuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sumptuous. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sumptuous
adjective
sump·tu·ous
ˈsəm(p)-ch(ə-w)əs
sumptuously
adverb
sumptuousness
noun
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