What does luxurious mean?
Luxurious is an adjective describing something exceptionally comfortable, elegant, or richly furnished, and by extension a way of life marked by expensive material pleasures. It is often used for hotels, homes, cars, fabrics, and other possessions whose quality or cost goes beyond ordinary comfort. The word can carry a positive sense of indulgence and refinement, but it may also suggest conspicuous expense, extravagance, or an overly lavish lifestyle. In neutral description, “a luxurious interior” communicates physical richness; in criticism, “a luxurious lifestyle” can imply wasteful consumption. The adjective is standard in British and American English and is not restricted to a particular region. Luxurious is related to Latin luxus, meaning “luxury” or “excess,” and belongs to a family including luxury, luxuriant, and luxuriate. It is especially useful when the degree of comfort or expense itself is important, rather than merely saying that something is pleasant or expensive.
adjectiveExtremely comfortable, elegant, or costly; richly provided or indulgent.
- Richly comfortable, elegant, or costly, especially in a way that exceeds ordinary comfort or expense.
"The hotel offered a luxurious suite overlooking the harbor."
"They spent the evening in a luxurious hotel dining room."
"The car's luxurious interior made the long journey remarkably pleasant."
The word’s Latin roots point to excess: luxus meant “luxury” or “extravagance” before giving us both luxurious and luxury.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does luxurious come from?
The English adjective entered use in the early 17th century from Latin luxuriosus, meaning excessive or extravagantly rich. Latin luxuriosus developed from luxus, meaning luxury, extravagance, or excess, which is also the source of related words such as luxury, luxuriant, and luxuriate. The modern word retains the sense of richness and indulgence while usually emphasizing exceptional comfort or expense.
Related word forms
How luxurious is actually used
Generally neutral to positive when describing comfort, quality, or refinement, but sometimes critical when it suggests conspicuous consumption or extravagance. It is standard in both British and American English.
Easily confused with luxurious
Luxurious describes costly comfort, elegance, or indulgence, whereas luxuriant describes abundant, rich growth.