Luscious Meaning
/ˈlʌʃəs/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjSweet and pleasant; delicious.
adjSweet and pleasant; delicious; juicy, succulent.
Sentence Examples
Where is that luscious aroma coming from?
What gives this chocolate mousse its luscious smoothness?
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ chocolate cake made my mouth water as soon as I saw it.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The cake was decorated with ____ fresh strawberries and a thick layer of rich whipped cream today.
Word Origin & History
From earlier lushious, lussyouse (“luscious, richly sweet, delicious”), a corruption of lustious, from lusty (“pleasant, delicious”) + -ous. Shakespeare uses both lush (short for lushious) and lusty in the same sense: "How lush and lusty the grass looks" (The Tempest ii. I.52). An alternative etymology connects luscious to a Middle English term: lucius, an alteration of licious, believed to be a shortening of delicious.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Her lips were like two luscious beefsteaks."
— 1863, H.S. Thompson, Down by the River Liv'd a Maiden:
"There were lovely patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits."
— 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:
"With one hand he gently disclosed the lips of that luscious mouth of nature."
— 1749, John Cleland, Memoirs of Fanny Hill: A New and Genuine Edition from the Original Text:
"Hitherto I had been indebted only to the girls of the house for the corruption of my innocence: their luscious talk, in which modesty was far from respected."
— 1749, John Cleland, Memoirs of Fanny Hill: A New and Genuine Edition from the Original Text:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ chocolate cake made my mouth water as soon as I saw it.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The cake was decorated with ____ fresh strawberries and a thick layer of rich whipped cream today.