Etymology : Middle English, from Latin voluptuosus, irregular from voluptas pleasure, from volup pleasurable; akin to Greek elpesthai to hope, Latin velle to wish; more at WILL
Pronunciation : -sh&-w&s, -sh&s
Function : adjective
Date : 14th century
1. sensual, sensuous; luxurious, hedonistic; having an attractive full figure (of a woman). voluptuous\vo*lup"tu*ous\ , a. [f. voluptueux, l. voluptuosus, fr. voluptas pleasure, volup agreeably, delightfully; probably akin to gr. to hope, hope, and to l. velle to wish. see:
voluntary.].
2. full of delight or pleasure, especially that of the senses; ministering to sensuous or sensual gratification; exciting sensual desires; luxurious; sensual. music arose with its voluptuous swell. sink back into your voluptuous repose.
3. given to the enjoyments of luxury and pleasure; indulging to excess in sensual gratifications. "the jolly and voluptuous livers." softened with pleasure and voluptuous life. -- vo*lup"tu*ous*ly , adv. -- vo*lup"tu*ous*ness , n.voluptuous adj.
4. having strong sexual appeal; "juicy barmaids"; "a red-hot mama"; "a voluptuous woman" [syn: juicy, luscious, red-hot].
5. (of a woman's body) having a large bosom and pleasing curves; "hollywood seems full of curvaceous blondes"; "a curvy young woman in a tight dress" [syn: bosomy, busty, buxom, curvaceous, curvy, full-bosomed, sonsie, sonsy, well-endowed].
6. furnishing gratification of the senses; "an epicurean banquet"; "enjoyed a luxurious suite with a crystal chandelier and thick oriental rugs"; "lucullus spent the remainder of his days in voluptuous magnificence"; "a chinchilla robe of sybaritic lavishness" [syn: epicurean, luxurious, sybaritic, voluptuary].
7. Full of delight or pleasure, especially that of the senses; ministering to sensuous or sensual gratification; exciting sensual desires; luxurious; sensual.
8. Given to the enjoyments of luxury and pleasure; indulging to excess in sensual gratifications.
9. Of or pertaining to voltaism, or voltaic electricity; as, voltaic induction; the voltaic arc.
10. Of or relating to Voltaire, the French author.
11. The theories or practice of Voltaire.
12. That form of electricity which is developed by the chemical action between metals and different liquids; voltaic electricity; also, the science which treats of this form of electricity; called also galvanism, from Galvani, on account of his experiments showing the remarkable influence of this agent on animals.
13. An instrument for m.
14. If you describe a woman as voluptuous, you mean that she has large breasts and hips and is considered attractive in a sexual way. a voluptuous, well-rounded lady with glossy black hair.