Epicureanism

/ˌɛpɪkjʊˈriːənɪzəm/ noun

Definition

The pursuit of pleasure and refined enjoyment, especially through food and sensory experiences; or the philosophy of Epicurus emphasizing simple pleasures and absence of fear.

Etymology

From Epicurus + '-an' + '-ism'. Modern usage emphasizes sensory pleasure, while the original philosophy was surprisingly austere.

Kelly Says

Epicureanism shows how history gets things backwards: Epicurus preached avoiding fancy food to reduce desire, yet his name branded him as history's biggest party animal—it's a 2,000-year-old case of fake news.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.