lavish

UK: /ˈlævɪʃ/ US: /ˈlævɪʃ/ ,(lav′ish)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2022

lav•ish /ˈlævɪʃ/   adj. 

1. spent, given, produced, or occurring in great amounts:
   a lavish serving of food.
2. generous:
   to be lavish with one's time or money.

v. [~ + object + on + object]

3. to expend or give in great amounts or without limit:
   to lavish gifts on one's children.

lav•ish•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2022

lav•ish  (lav′ish), adj. 

1. expended, bestowed, or occurring in profusion:
   lavish spending.
2. using or giving in great amounts;
   prodigal (often fol. by of ):
   lavish of his time; lavish of affection.

v.t. 

3. to expend or give in great amounts or without limit:
   to lavish gifts on a person.

• Latin lavāre
• Middle French lavasse downpour of rain, derivative of laver to wash
• late Middle English lavas profusion (noun, nominal), profuse (adjective, adjectival) 1425–75

lav′ish•er, n. 
lav′ish•ly, adv. 
lav′ish•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1, 2. unstinted, extravagant, wasteful, improvident; generous, openhanded.
  Lavish, prodigal, profuse refer to that which exists in abundance and is poured out copiously.
  Lavish suggests (sometimes excessive) generosity and openhandedness:
  lavish hospitality; much too lavish.
  Prodigal suggests wastefulness, improvidence, and reckless impatience of restraint:
  a prodigal extravagance.
  Profuse emphasizes abundance, but may suggest overemotionalism, exaggeration, or the like:
  profuse thanks, compliments, apologies.
• 3. heap, pour; waste, squander, dissipate.

Antonyms

• 1, 2. niggardly.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lavish /ˈlævɪʃ/ adj

1. prolific, abundant, or profuse
2. generous; unstinting; liberal
3. extravagant; prodigal; wasteful: lavish expenditure

vb

1. (transitive) to give, expend, or apply abundantly, generously, or in profusion

Etymology: 15th Century: adj use of lavas profusion, from Old French lavasse torrent, from Latin lavāre to wash

ˈlavisher n ˈlavishly adv ˈlavishness n