epicurean

Definitions

  • WordNet 3.6
    • adj epicurean displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses "an epicurean banquet","enjoyed a luxurious suite with a crystal chandelier and thick oriental rugs","Lucullus spent the remainder of his days in voluptuous magnificence","a chinchilla robe of sybaritic lavishness"
    • adj epicurean devoted to pleasure "a hedonic thrill","lives of unending hedonistic delight","epicurean pleasures"
    • adj Epicurean of Epicurus or epicureanism "Epicurean philosophy"
    • n epicurean a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food and drink)
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
    • Epicurean A follower or Epicurus.
    • Epicurean Given to luxury; adapted to luxurious tastes; luxurious; pertaining to good eating. "Courses of the most refined and epicurean dishes."
    • Epicurean One given to epicurean indulgence.
    • Epicurean Pertaining to Epicurus, or following his philosophy. "The sect Epicurean ."
    • ***
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
    • epicurean Of, pertaining to, or founded by Epicurus, the Greek philosopher; relating to the doctrines of Epicurus.
    • epicurean [cap. or lowercase] Devoted to the pursuit of pleasure as the chief good.
    • epicurean [lowercase] Given to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; of luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking; fond of good living.
    • epicurean [lowercase] Contributing to the pleasures of the table; fit for an epicure.
    • n epicurean A follower of Epicurus, the great sensualistic philosopher of antiquity (341-270 b. c.), who founded a school at Athens about 307 b. c. He held, like Bentham, that pleasure is the only possible end of rational action, and that the ultimate pleasure is freedom from disturbance. In logic the Epicureans are distinguished from all the other ancient schools, not only in maintaining an experiential theory of cognition and the validity of inductive reasoning, but also in denying the value of definitions, syllogism, and the other apparatus of the a priori method. Like J. S. Mill, they based induction upon the uniformity of nature. Epicurus was very strenuous in the advocacy of natural causes for all phenomena, and in resisting hypotheses of the interference of supernatural beings in nature. He adopted the atomistic theory of Democritus, while bringing into it the doctrine of chance, which is the very life of that theory. His views were thus more like those of a modern scientist than were those of any other philosopher of antiquity. Owing, however, to the natural repugnance to doctrines seeming to lower the nature of man, Epicurus and his school have been much hated and abused; so that an Epicurean has come to mean also a mere votary of pleasure. See 2.
    • n epicurean [cap. or lowercase] A votary of pleasure, or one who pursues the pleasures of sense as the chief good; one who is fond of good living; a person of luxurious tastes, especially in eating and drinking; a gourmet; an epicure.
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Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary
    • adj Epicurean pertaining to Epicurus: given to luxury
    • ***

Etymology

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
L. Epicureus, Gr. : cf. épicurien,

Usage

In literature:

Southern races are sometimes indolent, but rarely Epicurean in their habits; it is the Northern man who sighs for his flesh-pots.
"The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 20, No. 122, December, 1867" by Various
It was, in its general form, a very prominent doctrine of the Epicurean philosophy.
"The Christian Foundation, Or, Scientific and Religious Journal, Volume I, No. 7, July, 1880" by Various
The Epicurean doctrine was, that sovereign happiness consisted in pleasure.
"The Christian Foundation, Or, Scientific and Religious Journal, Volume I, No. 8, August, 1880" by Various
He was so far an Epicurean, as we all are.
"The Life of Cicero" by Anthony Trollope
You are drifting into a kind of vague and epicurean optimism.
"Beside Still Waters" by Arthur Christopher Benson
But for such an Epicurean much praying will be necessary.
"Ghetto Comedies" by Israel Zangwill
The supper was more of an epicurean than a social success.
"The Wall Street Girl" by Frederick Orin Bartlett
Her father's somewhat epicurean doctrines had filled her mind completely.
"Is He Popenjoy?" by Anthony Trollope
But it is the midnight mass that this Epicurean has been to hear.
"Dreamers of the Ghetto" by I. Zangwill
The Epicureans lived simply.
"Five Stages of Greek Religion" by Gilbert Murray
We begin to fear indeed that Nathan is little better than one of those wicked Epicureans himself.
"The Galaxy" by Various
The efficient robot waiter of the Sky Club had cleared away the remnants of an epicurean meal.
"Astounding Stories, May, 1931" by Various
Epicureanism, not very bad in the beginning, had come to a stage of decrepitude.
"History of Human Society" by Frank W. Blackmar
In so far the Epicureans were Greeks and the Stoics Romans.
"Pedagogics as a System" by Karl Rosenkranz
He was no ascetic, rather an Epicurean of the nobler sort; and he had this one great merit, that he succeeded so far as to be happy.
"The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 3 (of 25)" by Robert Louis Stevenson
Face to face with the Epicurean idea of beauty and pleasure is the counter-charm of purity, truth, and duty.
"Spenser" by R. W. Church
And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him.
"The Bible Story" by Rev. Newton Marshall Hall
Gassendi (1592-1655), Neo-Epicurean philosopher, 375.
"A Short History of French Literature" by George Saintsbury
I might have sought to console myself with the rareness of the wines and the epicurean delicacy of the food.
"A Volunteer with Pike" by Robert Ames Bennet
There is one great and essential difference on the side of the Epicurean.
"Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 57, No. 354, April 1845" by Various
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In news:

The chefs at Epicurean Delight are serious, but for a good cause.
inlander.com
McCormick & Company, Inc, says it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the assets of Epicurean International.
food-management.com
Epicurean Classic Returns To TC's Warehouse DIstrict.
northernexpress.com
A look at the Epicurean Classic's cookbooks & classes.
northernexpress.com
Among the epicurean pleasures of the world, eating fugu is something unique.
nytimes.com
Edible gifts are a perfect way to wish the epicurean in your life a happy holiday USA TODAY asks Sarah Carey, co-author of Martha Stewart's Cooking School, for a few festive foodie gifts.
usatoday.com
And though elitist food enthusiasts rarely talk about it, from a epicurean perspective, vegetarian cuisine has become far more appealing, thanks largely to the growing influence of Asian vegetarian traditions.
nytimes.com
Dining, epicurean March 16, 2012.
daytoncitypaper.com
An epicurean entrepreneur brings foodies to the great outdoors.
money.cnn.com
Epicurean adventure uncovers city's food treasures.
sfgate.com
For fresh, locally grown ingredients, decadent foods, and delicious wines, follow us on the side roads of France and unleash your inner epicurean.
foxnews.com
Epicurean, wine March 16, 2012.
daytoncitypaper.com
The Epicurean, Latham Farms Mall, 579 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, 786-8272, epicurean-ny.com.
metroland.net
Zariah Carroll, 3, enjoys the Epicurean Civic Club's annual Easter egg hunt Monday at Mina Weil Park.
newsargus.com
There's good eating everywhere in Tokyo, and some of the most fun epicurean adventures take place in the department store food halls.
honoluluweekly.com
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Related words