Word
lavish
Phoneticslav·ish, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫævɪʃ/
UK/lˈævɪʃ/
Definitions
01expensive and impressive
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. very expensive, large, or impressive, often involving a lot of money or effort.
adj. characterised by extreme abundance, luxury, or expense; often implies a display of wealth or high quality.
“The hotel guests enjoyed a lavish breakfast with fresh fruit, pastries, and champagne.”
“The production was famous for its lavish costumes and intricate set designs, which reportedly cost millions of dollars to produce.”
02very generous
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. giving or using a large amount of something, especially praise or money.
adj. bestowed in great abundance; marked by profusion or excess in giving.
“The critics were lavish with their praise for the young actor's performance.”
“Despite his modest income, he was lavish in his hospitality, always ensuring his guests had the finest food and wine.”
03to give generously
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to give a lot of something, like money, attention, or love, to someone.
v. to bestow something in great quantities upon a recipient. Transitive — requires a direct object and often takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.
“The grandparents like to lavish gifts on their grandchildren during the holidays.”
“The media continued to lavish attention on the scandal, even after the primary suspects had been cleared of all charges.”
Antonyms
Usage
Typically precedes the noun it modifies; can also follow linking verbs like 'be' or 'seem'.
Real-World Examples
“Scenes of the school’s lavish celebration of its leader’s birthday are intercut with the students’ ramshackle living quarters.” “In a lavish press centre funded by the Americans for the previous government, we ask him about the first press conference he gave there, two days after the Taliban took control of the country.” “The Lord Protector was, in fact, a music lover who had his favourite organ from Magdalen College, Oxford, installed at his lavish apartments at Hampton Court, and employed various musicians to perform there.” Etymology
From Middle English laves, lavas, lavage (“extravagant, wasteful, prodigal”), from lavas (“excessive abundance”), from Old French lavasse, lavache (“torrent of rain”); possibly later conflated in some senses by Middle English laven (“to pour out”), equivalent to lave + -ish. Compare Scots lawage, lavisch, lavish (“unrestrained, excessively prodigal, extravagant”). Compare also English lavy (“lavish, liberal”), Dutch lafenis (“lavishness”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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