Gary GiddinsRuth Park
Did you know?
Have you ever heard a young child describe a favorite food as “licius” instead of “delicious”? Back in the Middle Ages, the word licius was sometimes used as a shortened form of delicious by adults and kids alike. Linguists believe that luscious may have developed when licius (which comes from the Latin verb delicere, meaning “to entice by charm or attraction”) was further altered to lucius by 15th-century speakers. The adjective lush can sometimes mean “delicious” as well but is not a shortened form of luscious, having developed on its own from the Middle English lusch, meaning “soft or tender.”
Synonyms
Examples of luscious in a Sentence
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune Europe, 31 Oct. 2024
Beyond him, a wall-size video showed luscious, coruscating hair and floating fungi.
—Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
Some are soft and creamy, providing a luscious satin finish, while others are firm and long-wearing for a more matte look.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024
Made with luscious layers of cream cheese filling and dark chocolate pudding, all held together by a pecan shortbread crust, possum pie is one of the best old-fashioned desserts there is.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near luscious
Cite this Entry
“Luscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/luscious. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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luscious
adjective
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