luxurieux

Forms

luxurieux (feminine luxurieuse, masculine plural luxurieux, feminine plural luxurieuses)^[1] Old French luxurius (Philippe de Thaon) and luxurieus.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin luxuriōsus (“overabundant, luxuriant, exuberant, fond of luxury, voluptuous”),^[5][6][7] which is derived from luxuria, itself from luxus.^[5] The French word corresponds to luxure.^[8][9] Wiktionary also notes that it can be analysed within French as that noun with the suffix -eux.^[1]

Cognate with Occitan luxurios, Spanish lujurioso and Italian lussurioso.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Bestiaire of Philippe de Thaon, dated 1121–1134 by the TLFi and about 1119 by the GLLF, of a person given to lust.^[5][2] The sense “showing lust”, of a thing, follows at the beginning of the 13th century, in amor luxuriose.^[5]

Semantic evolution

From the start the word was tied to luxure, the sin of lust, and that moral sense is the one that lasted: Nicole Oresme uses luxurieus about 1370 of a man who sins against chastity.^[4] Other senses closer to the Latin did not survive: “overabundant” (1583) gave way to luxuriant, and “sumptuous” (17th century) to luxueux.^[8] The adverb luxurieusement dates from the 13th century but is rare.^[8] Today the adjective belongs to religious or literary language,^[10] and the GLLF labels the sense “given to lust” as dated.^[2] The Académie warns against using luxurieux for luxuriant.^[6]

Timeline

• 1121–1134 – First record, in Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire.^[5]
• Early 13th century – Used of things that show lust (amor luxuriose).^[5]
• 13th century – The adverb luxurieusement appears.^[8]
• c. 1370 – Oresme uses luxurieus of a man who sins against chastity.^[4]
• 1583 – Recorded in the sense “overabundant”, later lost to luxuriant.^[8]
• 17th century – The sense “sumptuous” appears, later taken over by luxueux.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (religion, literary) Given to lust, lecherous: un vieillard luxurieux.^[5][10][6]
2. Showing or arousing lust, lascivious: des regards luxurieux.^[5][10][2]

Word family

• luxurieusement

Related words

• luxure
• luxe
• luxuriant
• luxueux
• Latin luxuriōsus

Usage notes

The sixth commandment, as the Petit Robert quotes it, says Luxurieux point ne seras.^[10] Luxurieux should not be confused with luxuriant “abundant” or luxueux “luxurious”, which took over its old senses.^[6][8]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b c Dictionnaire du Moyen Français, version 2015 (DMF 2015), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/dmf
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
6. ^ a b c d Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
7. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 5, 480b
10. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert