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Added 9 October 2026

lavish

/ˈlævɪʃ/ adjective

In Latin: prōfusus Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about lavish at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Expending or bestowing profusely; profuse; prodigal.
lavish of money; lavish of praise
Superabundant; excessive.
lavish spirits
Unrestrained, impetuous.

verb

To give out extremely generously; to squander.
They lavished money on the dinner.
To give out to (somebody) extremely generously.
They lavished him with praise.

noun

Excessive abundance or expenditure, profusion, prodigality.

Origin

From Middle English laves, lavas, lavage (“extravagant, wasteful, prodigal”), from lavas (“excessive abundance”), from Old French lavasse, lavache (“torrent of rain”); possibly later conflated in some senses by Middle English laven (“to pour out”), equivalent to lave + -ish. Compare Scots lawage, lavisch, lavish (“unrestrained, excessively prodigal, extravagant”). Compare also English lavy (“lavish, liberal”), Dutch lafenis (“lavishness”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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