Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words (original) (raw)
lavish
adjective
- expended, bestowed, or occurring in profusion:
lavish spending.
Synonyms: wild, unrestrained, wasteful, unreasonable, thriftless, intemperate, improvident, immoderate, extravagant, excessive
Antonyms: meager, sparing - using or giving in great amounts; prodigal
(often followed by of ):
lavish of his time;
lavish of affection.
Synonyms: unsparing, openhanded, munificent, liberal, free, effusive, bountiful, generous
Antonyms: tight-fisted, tight, stingy, parsimonious, miserly, cheap
/ ˈlævɪʃ /
adjective
- prolific, abundant, or profuse
- generous; unstinting; liberal
- extravagant; prodigal; wasteful
lavish expenditure
verb
- tr to give, expend, or apply abundantly, generously, or in profusion
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Derived Forms
- ˈlavisher, noun
- ˈlavishment, noun
- ˈlavishly, adverb
- ˈlavishness, noun
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Other Words From
- lav·ish·er noun
- lav·ish·ly adverb
- lav·ish·ness noun
- o·ver·lav·ish adjective
- o·ver·lav·ish·ness noun
- un·lav·ish adjective
- un·lav·ished adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of lavish1
First recorded in
1425–75; late Middle English lavas “profusion” (noun), “profuse” (adjective), from Middle French lavasse, lavache “downpour of rain,” derivative of laver “to wash,” from Latin lavāre
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Word History and Origins
Origin of lavish1
C15: adj use of lavas profusion, from Old French lavasse torrent, from Latin lavāre to wash
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Synonym Study
Lavish,
prodigal,
profuse
refer to that which exists in abundance and is poured out copiously.
Lavish
suggests (sometimes excessive) generosity and openhandedness:
lavish hospitality; much too lavish.
Prodigal
suggests wastefulness, improvidence, and reckless impatience of restraint:
a prodigal extravagance.
Profuse
emphasizes abundance, but may suggest overemotionalism, exaggeration, or the like:
profuse thanks, compliments, apologies.
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Example Sentences
In exchange for lavishing billions of dollars upon MLB teams over the last couple of decades, local television providers demanded exclusivity.
I’m grateful to East West Players not only for the enormous care lavished on the staging, but also for the boldness of its approach.
The vice-president, who himself has been convicted of corruption in France and has had lavish assets seized in various countries, wants to be seen as the man cracking down on graft and wrong-doing at home.
He acknowledged that he had enjoyed a lavish lifestyle afforded by his crimes.
Mr Sutherland stood down from his role at the watchdog last year within hours of a separate Audit Scotland report which detailed lavish spending at the public body.