English Reference
Adjective

opulent

adj.
C1 Advanced US /ˈɑpjəɫənt/ UK /ˈɒpjʊlənt/ op·u·lent

adj.very rich and expensive, with lots of luxury and beautiful things. You use this to describe a place or a person that has a lot of wealth and style.

adj.characterised by great wealth, luxury, and extravagance. Often used to describe physical spaces, such as palaces or interiors, or the lifestyle of the wealthy.


SIMPLE

The hotel has an opulent lobby with gold and marble.

CONTEXTUAL

The royal family's opulent lifestyle was often the subject of public debate regarding the use of public funds.

COMPLEX

The museum's opulent collection of Renaissance art includes gilded ceilings and rare tapestries that reflect the immense wealth of the era.

In May, the club were runners-up at the football business awards, for stadium experience, as the Riverside Stand’s opulent hospitality completed its first full season in service.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026

Borrowed from Latin opulēns, opulentus, from ops (“wealth, power, resources”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃op- (“to work; produce in abundance”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin ine-pro *h₃ep-
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated