Luxuries

/ˈlʌkʃəriz/ noun

Definition

Plural of luxury; expensive and desirable items or experiences that are not necessary for survival but provide great pleasure.

Etymology

From Old French 'luxurie' and Latin 'luxuria' (excess, profusion), possibly related to 'luxus' (loose, dissolute). The term originally had negative connotations of excess and moral weakness before becoming more neutral.

Kelly Says

Economists have discovered that what counts as a 'luxury' shifts across time and cultures—the smartphone would've seemed impossibly luxurious fifty years ago, but today it's nearly essential, showing how necessity is actually socially defined.

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