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Voluptuous

 - 3 dictionary results

vo⋅lup⋅tu⋅ous

[vuh-luhp-choo-uhs]
–adjective
1. full of, characterized by, or ministering to indulgence in luxury, pleasure, and sensuous enjoyment: a voluptuous life.
2. derived from gratification of the senses: voluptuous pleasure.
3. directed toward or concerned with sensuous enjoyment or sensual pleasure: voluptuous desires.
4. sensuously pleasing or delightful: voluptuous beauty.

Origin:
1325–75; ME < L voluptuōsus, equiv. to volupt(ās) pleasure + -ōsus -ous; -u- prob. by assoc. with sumptuōsus sumptuous


vo⋅lup⋅tu⋅ous⋅ly, adverb
vo⋅lup⋅tu⋅ous⋅ness, vo⋅lup⋅tu⋅os⋅i⋅ty [vuh-luhp-choo-os-i-tee] , noun


1. See sensual.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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vo·lup·tu·ous   (və-lŭp'chōō-əs)   
adj.  
  1. Giving, characterized by, or suggesting ample, unrestrained pleasure to the senses: voluptuous sculptural forms; a voluptuous ripe fruit; a full, voluptuous figure.

    1. Devoted to or indulging in sensual pleasures.

    2. Directed toward or anticipating sensual pleasure: voluptuous thoughts.

    3. Arising from or contributing to the satisfaction of sensuous or sensual desires. See Synonyms at sensuous.


[Middle English, from Old French voluptueux, from Latin voluptuōsus, full of pleasure, from voluptās, pleasure; see wel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
vo·lup'tu·ous·ly adv., vo·lup'tu·ous·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

voluptuous 
c.1374, "of desires or appetites," from O.Fr. voluptueux, from L. voluptuosus "full of pleasure, delightful," from voluptas "pleasure, delight," from volup "pleasurably," perhaps ultimately related to velle "to wish," from PIE *wol-/*wel- "be pleasing" (see will (v.)). Meaning "addicted to sensual pleasure" is recorded from c.1440. Sense of "suggestive of sensual pleasure" is attested from 1816 (Byron); especially in ref. to feminine beauty from 1839. Voluptuary "one addicted to sensuous pleasures" is attested from 1610.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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