voluptuous
/vəˈlʌp.t͡ʃu.əs/
voluptuous means characterized or marked by full, generous, pleasurable sensation. It carries an Arena rating of 1508, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, voluptuous ranks #889 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words, #1,171 of 17,135 for Most Malleable Words, #1,523 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #2,688 of 17,127 for Most Vivid Words.
voluptuous is pronounced /vəˈlʌp.t͡ʃu.əs/.
Why “voluptuous” is a great word
Characterized by or suggesting full, generous, and sensually pleasing curves, especially of a woman's body. From Middle French *voluptueux*, from Latin *voluptuōsus* ('delightful'), from *voluptās* ('pleasure, delight'). Unlike 'slender,' which emphasizes a spare, linear grace, or 'buxom,' which conjures a hearty, cheerful plumpness, *voluptuous* evokes a more deliberate, architectural sensuality in its roundness. It is the deep curve of a ripe pear, the heavy drape of velvet in a Vermeer painting, the slow, generous swell of a dune against the sky—a celebration of abundance where pleasure itself assumes a tangible, lingering weight, warm and undeniable.
Etymology
From Middle French voluptueux, from Latin voluptuōsus (“delightful”), from voluptās (“pleasure, delight”), from volup (“with pleasure”).
adj
- Characterized or marked by full, generous, pleasurable sensation.e.g.“The plentiful blankets and the voluptuous pillows of the bed called out to my tired body.”
- Curvaceous and sexually attractive.e.g.“The low neckline of her bodice emphasized her plump, voluptuous figure.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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