luxury
Americannoun
plural
luxuries-
a material object, service, etc., conducive to sumptuous living, usually a delicacy, elegance, or refinement of living rather than a necessity.
Gold cufflinks were a luxury not allowed for in his budget.
-
free or habitual indulgence in or enjoyment of comforts and pleasures in addition to those necessary for a reasonable standard of well-being.
a life of luxury on the French Riviera.
-
a means of ministering to such indulgence or enjoyment.
This travel plan gives you the luxury of choosing which countries you can visit.
-
a pleasure out of the ordinary allowed to oneself.
the luxury of an extra piece of the cake.
-
a foolish or worthless form of self-indulgence.
the luxury of self-pity.
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Archaic. lust; lasciviousness; lechery.
adjective
noun
-
indulgence in and enjoyment of rich, comfortable, and sumptuous living
-
(sometimes plural) something that is considered an indulgence rather than a necessity
-
something pleasant and satisfying
the luxury of independence
-
(modifier) relating to, indicating, or supplying luxury
a luxury liner
Other Word Forms
- semiluxury noun
- superluxury noun
Etymology
Origin of luxury
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English luxurie, from Latin luxuria “rankness, luxuriance,” equivalent to luxur- (combining form of luxus “extravagance”) + -ia noun suffix; see -y 3
Explanation
A luxury is something that is pleasant to have or experience, but it is not necessary. For example, eating in a restaurant is a luxury — you can always cook and eat at home. In its earliest days, luxury meant "excess that is sinfully self-indulgent." Over time, this definition softened, losing the air of judgment, but retaining the sense that a luxury is enjoyable or comfortable, but not necessary. We often think of a luxury as something costly, but this isn't always so. For example, being able to sleep late or live within walking distance of loved ones or a beautiful forest can also be luxuries.
Vocabulary lists containing luxury
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 1
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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"The Necklace" and "The Fashion Show"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Food-inspired fashion has filtered down from luxury designers like Dolce & Gabbana which embraced it late last decade, says Lorynn Divita, an associate professor of apparel design and merchandising at Baylor University in Texas.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
Tapestry surged 137% and Ralph Lauren 86% over the last year, while some European luxury names like Ferrari lag.
From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026
As demand persists, some wealthy travelers are deciding a luxury seat isn’t sufficient to justify the crowds and flight delays that can come with commercial travel and choose to cough up thousands to fly private.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
The group lost out to sector-leader L’Oreal in a bid for Kering’s luxury beauty unit, which includes the rights to develop makeup and perfume for high-profile brand Gucci.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
The indoor plumbing we had once taken for granted now was an unattainable luxury.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
