Definition

1. Noun:

   • A person devoted to luxury and sensual pleasure: A "voluptuary" is someone who makes the pursuit of refined, often sensual, physical pleasure and luxury the central focus of their life.

2. Adjective:

   • Relating to or characterized by luxury and sensual pleasure: When used as an adjective, "voluptuary" describes something that provides or is devoted to luxurious, sensory gratification.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The ancient Roman emperor was known as a voluptuary, filling his palace with every imaginable delight.
  • She lived the life of a voluptuary, seeking out the finest foods, wines, and art.

• Adjective:

  • The hotel offered a voluptuary experience, with silk sheets, gourmet meals, and private spas.
  • His voluptuary tastes were evident in his collection of rare perfumes and velvet robes.

Advanced Usage

• The term often carries a connotation of excessive or self-indulgent pursuit of pleasure, sometimes with a hint of moral judgment. It is more specific and literary than simply "hedonist."
• "Voluptuary excess": Refers to an extreme degree of luxurious self-indulgence.
  • The biography detailed the king's descent into voluptuary excess.

Variants and Related Words

• Voluptuous (adj): 1. Relating to or characterized by luxury or sensual pleasure. 2. (Of a woman) curvaceous and sexually attractive.
  • The room was decorated in a voluptuous style.
• Voluptuarian (n/adj): A less common variant with the same meaning as "voluptuary."

Synonyms

• Sybarite: A person who is self-indulgent in their fondness for sensuous luxury.
• Hedonist: A person who believes that pleasure is the most important thing in life.
• Epicurean: A person who takes particular pleasure in fine food and drink. (Note: This can imply a more refined, intellectual appreciation compared to the purely sensual focus of "voluptuary.")
• Sensualist: A person devoted to sensory pleasures and physical comfort.

Antonyms

• Ascetic: A person who practices severe self-discipline and abstains from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
• Puritan: A person with censorious moral beliefs, especially about pleasure and luxury.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To live like a voluptuary": To live a life dedicated to luxury and sensory pleasure.
  • After winning the lottery, he began to live like a voluptuary, traveling on private jets and dining at exclusive restaurants.

Adjective

1. displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses
   • an epicurean banquet
   • enjoyed a luxurious suite with a crystal chandelier and thick oriental rugs
   • Lucullus spent the remainder of his days in voluptuous magnificence
   • a chinchilla robe of sybaritic lavishness

Noun

1. a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses