Great comfort, or something enjoyable beyond basic necessity.
Played on · Day 52 · word 3 of 5
Luxury before the comfortable life
How luxury reached English
oldest first
Latin
luxuria
‘rankness, luxury, excess’
into Anglo-French
Anglo-French
luxorie
into Middle English
Middle English
luxurie
‘lechery, lust’
became English
English
luxury
‘a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort’
The story of luxury
Middle English luxurie came through Anglo-French luxorie from Latin luxuria, excess. Older English uses included lust or lechery. Modern luxury often names comfort and enjoyment beyond basic necessity.