Word
decadent
Phoneticsdeca·dent
US/ˈdɛkədənt/
UK/dˈɛkədənt/
Definitions
01luxuriously self-indulgent
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. extremely rich, delicious, or fancy in a way that feels like a guilty pleasure.
adj. characterised by or reflecting a state of luxurious self-indulgence. Often used in modern contexts to describe rich food or lifestyle choices.
“We enjoyed a decadent chocolate cake with three layers of rich cream.”
“The hotel offered a decadent weekend package, complete with champagne breakfasts and private spa treatments overlooking the Mediterranean.”
02morally declining
C1 · Advanced Academic · Formal
adj. having low moral standards or showing a lack of interest in serious things.
adj. characterised by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline. Often used in historical or sociological critiques of wealthy societies.
“Some historians believe the empire became decadent and weak before it finally fell.”
“The critic argued that the city's decadent nightlife was a symptom of a deeper social collapse.”
Synonyms
03a person in decline
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary · Formal
n. a person who lives a life of luxury and has low moral standards.
n. a person who is considered to be in a state of moral or cultural decay. Frequently used in a historical context to refer to nineteenth-century artists and writers.
“The old king was seen as a decadent who cared only for his own comfort.”
“The salon was a gathering place for the city's most famous decadents, who rejected traditional social values in favour of aesthetic pleasure.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“People of power and means running into the consequences of their own decadent and crooked decisions.” “Instead, it’s titillating and decadent – just wait until you see the two pieces positioned at either end of the great gallery, seductively pale beside the red damask walls and flashy gilt frames.” Etymology
From French décadent, a back-formation from décadence (see -ent), from Medieval Latin dēcadentia, from Late Latin dēcadēns, present participle of dēcadō, dēcidō (“sink, fall; perish”), from Latin dē- + cadō (“fall”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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