Lucullan

adjective

Lu·​cul·​lan lü-ˈkə-lən 

variants or less commonly Lucullian

lü-ˈkə-lē-ən 

: lavish, luxurious

a Lucullan feast

Did you know?

Lucullan Has Roman Roots

Lucullan echoes the name of Roman general Lucius Licinius Lucullus. The general had a distinguished military career (including the defeat of Mithradates VI Eupator, king of Pontus, at Cabira in 72 B.C.), but he is best remembered for the splendor of his opulent retirement. Lucullus established a reputation for magnificent banquets, at which he wined and dined the leading poets, artists, and philosophers of his time. His feasts were sufficiently extravagant to establish a lasting place for his name as a synonym of "lavish" in the English lexicon.

Synonyms

• Babylonian
• deluxe
• lavish
• luxe
• luxuriant
• luxurious
• luxury
• opulent
• palace
• palatial
• plush
• plushy
• silken
• sumptuous

Examples of Lucullan in a Sentence

a Lucullan lifestyle that included the requisite mansion and yacht

Word History

Etymology

Latin lucullanus of Licinius Lucullus; from his reputation for luxurious banquets

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

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