luxuriant
gb/ləɡʒˈɚiənt/ us/ləɡʒˈɚiənt/
C1
English
~ 9400
Senses
0 senses
adjective
C1
property
1
thick, rich, and abundant growth
Thick, rich, and growing strongly, especially about hair or plants.
Usage pattern:
luxuriant [hair/foliage/vegetation]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'luxuriant' with 'luxurious'. 'Luxuriant' usually describes thick, rich growth (hair, plants, fur), while 'luxurious' describes something very comfortable, expensive, or high-quality (a luxurious hotel, a luxurious car). Saying *'a luxuriant hotel'* is incorrect; it should be *'a luxurious hotel'*.
Synonyms
lush (Very common for plants and landscapes; can also suggest attractiveness, while 'luxuriant' sounds slightly more formal and descriptive.)
|
thick (More general and simpler; does not by itself suggest richness or beauty the way 'luxuriant' often does.)
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abundant (Focuses on large quantity; 'luxuriant' adds a sense of richness and strong growth.)
|
profuse (Emphasizes an extremely large amount; slightly more formal and less visually focused than 'luxuriant'.)
Antonyms
sparse (Describes growth that is thin and spread out, the opposite of thick, rich growth.)
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thin (Describes hair or vegetation with little density, the opposite of full and luxuriant.)
Collocations
luxuriant hair
|luxuriant beard
|luxuriant vegetation
|luxuriant foliage
|luxuriant growth
|thick and luxuriant
Themes
nature
|appearance
|daily life
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her luxuriant hair fell in dark waves down her back.
- The valley was filled with luxuriant vegetation after the rainy season.
- A lion with a thick, luxuriant mane lay in the shade.
- The garden’s once luxuriant roses had withered in the heat.
- Moist air and rich soil produced a belt of luxuriant tropical foliage around the lake.
Learner examples
- She has long, luxuriant hair.
- The forest is green and luxuriant after the rain.
- The cat’s fur is soft and luxuriant.
- They walked through luxuriant grass by the river.
- The tree has luxuriant leaves in summer.
adjective
literary
C2
property
2
rich, elaborate in style or decoration
Very rich and full of detail in style or decoration, sometimes almost too much.
Usage pattern:
luxuriant [style/prose/decoration]
Common mistake:
Learners may again confuse 'luxuriant' with 'luxurious'. 'Luxuriant prose' means rich and full of detail, not necessarily connected to money or comfort. For a comfortable, expensive style, 'luxurious' is more natural, as in 'luxurious interior design'.
Synonyms
ornate (Stresses lots of decoration and detail; 'luxuriant' often suggests a sense of rich, almost overflowing abundance in that ornamentation.)
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elaborate (Focuses on complexity and detail; 'luxuriant' also suggests richness and fullness, not just complexity.)
|
opulent (Highlights great wealth and luxury; 'luxuriant' can suggest visual richness even without explicit luxury or expense.)
Antonyms
plain (Simple and without decoration, the opposite of richly detailed and luxuriant style.)
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austere (Very simple or severe in style, lacking ornament, the opposite of rich, luxuriant decoration.)
Collocations
luxuriant prose
|luxuriant style
|luxuriant imagery
|luxuriant costumes
|luxuriant ornamentation
|luxuriant baroque decoration
Themes
art
|literature
|style
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The novel is written in luxuriant prose, full of vivid images and long, flowing sentences.
- The palace was filled with luxuriant baroque decoration, from gilded ceilings to heavy velvet curtains.
- The film is known for its luxuriant visual style and deep, saturated colors.
- She wore a gown of luxuriant silk, covered in intricate embroidery.
- The composer’s early work is simple, but his later pieces have a far more luxuriant sound.
Learner examples
- The writer uses a very luxuriant style.
- The room had luxuriant gold and red decorations.
- The movie has luxuriant colors and music.
- The costumes in the play are very luxuriant.
- He enjoys reading books with luxuriant, poetic language.
Grammar
Dictionary form
luxuriant
IPA
GB/ləɡʒˈɚiənt/
US/ləɡʒˈɚiənt/
Syllables & stress
lux - uri - ant (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (uri)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: luxuriant
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.