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decadent
[dek-uh-duhnt, dih-keyd-nt]
adjective
characterized by decadence, especially culturally or morally.
a decadent life of excessive money and no sense of responsibility.
Synonyms: , , , ,(often initial capital letter)Ìýof or like the decadents.
noun
a person who is decadent.
(often initial capital letter)Ìýone of a group of French and English writers of the latter part of the 19th century whose works were characterized by aestheticism, great refinement or subtlety of style, and a marked tendency toward the artificial and abnormal in content.
decadent
/ ˈ»åÉ›°ìÉ™»åÉ™²Ô³Ù /
adjective
characterized by decay or decline, as in being self-indulgent or morally corrupt
belonging to a period of decline in artistic standards
noun
a decadent person
(often capital) one of a group of French and English writers of the late 19th century whose works were characterized by refinement of style and a tendency towards the artificial and abnormal
Other 51³Ô¹Ï Forms
- decadently adverb
- nondecadent adjective
- overdecadent adjective
- overdecadently adverb
- semidecadent adjective
- semidecadently adverb
- undecadent adjective
- undecadently adverb
- ˈ»å±ð³¦²¹»å±ð²Ô³Ù±ô²â adverb
51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins
Example Sentences
The sources of modern art, according to social critic Max Nordau, were decadent, corrupted societies whose artists, afflicted with “degeneration†as a form of mental illness, could only produce work reflecting their degenerate selves.
The party scenes with leggy dancers, meant to be decadent, are inoffensive.
As far as salads go, there’s toothsome grain salads, decadent pasta salads and bright panzanellas.
Somewhere deep in the wiring, there was still this belief that a salad, no matter how decadent, was supposed to be a kind of penance.
It's creamy, fragrant, and just decadent enough to feel like you’re getting away with something.
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When To Use
Decadent is used to describe things, such as a society or era, that are thought to be in a state of deterioration or decay, especially due to being excessively morally corrupt or self-indulgent.The state of being decadent is decadence.Decadent is also popularly used in a somewhat figurative way to describe things that are extremely indulgent, especially rich foods, as in That triple chocolate cake is so decadent that I think I can only finish half a piece.When capitalized, the word Decadent has a much more specific meaning. It refers to members of the group of French and English writers in the second half of the 1800s whose works were known for their refined and subtle style and sometimes abnormal content. Writers considered Decadents include French poet Arthur Rimbaud and Irish writer Oscar Wilde.Example: Historians have traditionally depicted the late Roman Empire as a decadent society, but others have debated whether supposed corruption of morals actually contributed to its fall.
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