sybarite

plural sybarites

1. A person devoted to luxury and pleasure; a hedonist.

   Although the proud lord clothed himself // In purple robes and gem-stones white, // Yet Nero grew to all men’s hate // A wild and cruel sybarite.

   1969, Victor Ernest Watts (translator), Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius (author), The Consolation of Philosophy, Penguin Books, book III, chapter iv, page 87

   2 more examples

   Lisa (Sian Breckin), the blondest and wildest of the women; Kim (Jamie Winstone), who is ready and willing; and Tammi (Nichola Burley), the most reluctant sybarite, are from Leeds.

   2009 January 22, Stephen Holden, “Passion and Pain at Sea, With Fatal Consequences”, in New York Times

   Thus began a dual career as political agitator and upper-crust sybarite. He arranged a packed schedule of antiwar demonstrations by day and Champagne-flooded parties with Oxford’s elite at night.

   2011 December 16, William Grimes, “Christopher Hitchens, Polemicist Who Slashed All, Freely, Dies at 62”, in New York Times

   Synonyms: voluptuary, bon viveur, epicure, epicurean, hedonist, high-stepper, lapling, lotus-eater · Antonyms: hedonophobe

comparative more sybarite · superlative most sybarite

1. Synonym of sybaritic (“of or having the qualities of a sybarite; dedicated to excessive comfort and enjoyment; decadent, hedonistic, self-indulgent”).

   Synonyms: sybaritic, sybaritical, Babylonian, decadent, epicureal, epicurean, epicureous, epicurish

plural Sybarites

1. A native or inhabitant of Sybaris.