Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A person devoted to pleasure and luxury; a voluptuary.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin Sybarita, from Ancient Greek Συβαρίτης (Subaritēs, "inhabitant of Subaris"), from Σύβαρις (Subaris, "Sybaris (an ancient Greek city in southeastern Italy noted for the luxurious, pleasure-seeking habits of many of its inhabitants)")

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Examples

  • One of their cities on the coast of Italy was called Sybaris, and it has given us the word "sybarite," which means a person who abandons himself to luxury.

    The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 25, April 29, 1897 A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls Various

  • Ertegun, a jet-setting sophisticate and sybarite who was hipper than his competitors, proved irresistible to rockers and their managers, and he landed the best and bestselling of the British bands including Cream, Led Zeppelin, and ultimately the Rolling Stones.

    Fortune’s Fool Fred Goodman 2010

  • Ertegun, a jet-setting sophisticate and sybarite who was hipper than his competitors, proved irresistible to rockers and their managers, and he landed the best and bestselling of the British bands including Cream, Led Zeppelin, and ultimately the Rolling Stones.

    Fortune’s Fool Fred Goodman 2010

  • After an evening of excess and a day of regret, even the most committed sybarite can be tempted to take the following night off.

    A New Year's Day Bordello Bruce Bennett 2010

  • Agatha turned off the motor and said, “Look at that wise old sybarite.”

    EVENING’S EMPIRE BILL FLANAGAN 2010

  • Ertegun, a jet-setting sophisticate and sybarite who was hipper than his competitors, proved irresistible to rockers and their managers, and he landed the best and bestselling of the British bands including Cream, Led Zeppelin, and ultimately the Rolling Stones.

    Fortune’s Fool Fred Goodman 2010

  • As a travel writer and a sybarite, I have visited numerous spas around the world.

    Andrea R. Vaucher: Along For The Ride: Miyako Hybrid Hotel 2010

  • Agatha turned off the motor and said, “Look at that wise old sybarite.”

    EVENING’S EMPIRE BILL FLANAGAN 2010

  • Agatha turned off the motor and said, “Look at that wise old sybarite.”

    EVENING’S EMPIRE BILL FLANAGAN 2010

  • Ertegun, a jet-setting sophisticate and sybarite who was hipper than his competitors, proved irresistible to rockers and their managers, and he landed the best and bestselling of the British bands including Cream, Led Zeppelin, and ultimately the Rolling Stones.

    Fortune’s Fool Fred Goodman 2010

Comments

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  • voluptuary: a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses.

    October 31, 2007

  • Thank you for tending to the problem of too many inappropriate proper name entries for "sybarite." I am so glad to find comments are taken seriously, and someone cares to correct problems.

    I must add that in eliminating the capitalized examples, many good ones were also removed. In this case, the word is sometimes capitalized in its lexical usage, so some capped entries may be acceptable. If you google "rather a sybarite", you will see this. In addition, some of the capitalized examples were appropriate to the definition of the the word as "a native or inhabitant of Sybaris". Some examples of this would be desirable.

    Unfortunately there is no substitute for reviewing entries.

    April 14, 2011