Luxus

Luxus is the Latin noun luxus, meaning excess, abundance, opulence, or luxury. It is the etymological root of the English word luxury and has similarly broader uses in Romance languages, where variants of the term denote wealth, splendor, or comfortable living. In classical Latin, luxus carried both positive and negative senses, referring to prosperous conditions as well as to extravagant or indulgent behavior depending on context.

In Roman literature and moral philosophy, luxus frequently appears in discussions about public virtue, governance, and the limits of wealth. The term is often contrasted with simple virtue or civic duty, and it is sometimes associated with decadence or moral laxity when paired with excess. The related concept luxuria denotes indulgence or wantonness and is not always synonymous with luxus, though the two ideas overlap in discussions about excess.

In modern usage, luxus survives as a loanword in several European languages and is commonly encountered in discussions of high-end goods and services. In German, Luxus functions as the standard term for luxury, while in English and many other languages the everyday concept is more often expressed as "luxury" or "luxurious." The study of luxury as a socio-economic category encompasses consumer behavior, signaling theories (such as conspicuous consumption), and the dynamics of the luxury goods industry, including branding, pricing, and market segmentation.

See also: luxury, conspicuous consumption, luxury goods.