lavish

1 of 2

adjective

lav·​ish ˈla-vish How to pronounce lavish (audio)
Synonyms of lavishnext
1
: expending or bestowing profusely : prodigal
lavish donors
lavish in giving praise to her employees
2
a
: expended or produced in abundance
the lavish attentions of his mother—George Meredith
b
: marked by profusion or excess
a lavish feast
a lavish home
lavishly adverb
lavishness noun

lavish

2 of 2

verb

lavished; lavishing; lavishes

transitive verb

: to expend or bestow with profusion : squander

Synonyms

Adjective

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for lavish

profuse, lavish, prodigal, luxuriant, lush, exuberant mean giving or given out in great abundance.

profuse implies pouring forth without restraint.

profuse apologies

lavish suggests an unstinted or unmeasured profusion.

a lavish party

prodigal implies reckless or wasteful lavishness threatening to lead to early exhaustion of resources.

prodigal spending

luxuriant suggests a rich and splendid abundance.

a luxuriant beard

lush suggests rich, soft luxuriance.

a lush green lawn

exuberant implies marked vitality or vigor in what produces abundantly.

an exuberant imagination

Examples of lavish in a Sentence

Adjective a lavish display of flowers this lavish consumption of our natural resources simply cannot continue Verb doting parents lavishing lots of attention on their children a great actor who lavished his talent in lousy movies
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Target shoppers have the opportunity to snag deals on everyday essentials to more lavish gifts. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024 The video, which showcases the creator's Cavalier King Charles spaniel taking pride of place at a lavish dinner spread, resplendent in a glittery crown, has been viewed more than 6.5 million times. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
If former President Donald Trump is to be believed, some of the richest and most powerful people in the world have called him to lavish him with compliments. —Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 31 Oct. 2024 Yes, he has been called France’s most important novelist, but praise is generally lavished on his ideas, not their expression. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lavish 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English laves, lavage "extravagant, wasteful," from attributive use of lavas, lavesse "excess, prodigality" (though attested later), probably borrowed from Middle French lavasse, lavache "torrential rain, downpour," from laver "to wash" (going back to Latin lavāre) + -asse, -ache, augmentative and depreciative suffix, going back to Latin -ācea, feminine of -āceus -aceous — more at lye

Note: The word lavasse/lavache is well-attested in northern dialects of French (see Französisches etymologisches Wörterbuch), and in Middle French is found in the work of authors with a definite northern connection (Jean Wauquelin, Jean Molinet—see Dictionnaire du Moyen Français). Presumably it is from this milieu that the word was passed into English in the fifteenth century. Evidence for it in Anglo-French is apparently lacking.

Verb

derivative of lavish entry 1, perhaps by construal of -ish (as in admonish, astonish) as a causative verbal suffix

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1542, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lavish was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing lavish

Dictionary Entries Near lavish

Lavinia

lavish

lavishment

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Lavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lavish. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

lavish

1 of 2 adjective
lav·​ish ˈlav-ish How to pronounce lavish (audio)
1
: spending or giving more than is necessary : extravagant
lavish with praise
2
: spent, produced, or given freely
lavish gifts
lavishly adverb
lavishness noun

lavish

2 of 2 verb
: to spend or give freely
Etymology

Adjective

Middle English lavas "an abundance," probably from early French lavasse, lavache "a downpour of rain," derived from Latin lavare "to wash" — related to laundry, lavatory, lotion

More from Merriam-Webster on lavish

Nglish: Translation of lavish for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of lavish for Arabic Speakers

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