The word "opulence" is spelled with five letters: o, p, u, l, and e. The first syllable is pronounced /ˈɑːpjələns/ which starts with the long "o" sound /oʊ/ followed by the voiceless bilabial plosive /p/ and the vowel sound /juː/ represented by "u". The second syllable starts with /l/ followed by the diphthong /uː/ and ends with the voiceless glottal fricative /s/. Overall, the word conveys the idea of luxury and excessive wealth, which is embodied in its elegant and elaborate spelling.
Opulence is a noun that refers to extravagant wealth, abundance, or luxuriousness. It is derived from the Latin word "opulentia," which means abundance or riches. The term encompasses a state of extreme opulence, often characterized by an excessive display of wealth, comfort, and lavishness.
Opulence can be observed in various aspects, such as material possessions, grand architecture, or ostentatious lifestyles. It connotes a degree of affluence that exceeds what is considered normal or necessary. Opulence is often associated with opulent societies, luxurious palaces, extravagant lifestyles of the rich and famous, or excessive indulgence in material pleasures.
In an opulent setting, one might find a profusion of expensive jewelry, ornate furniture, luxurious clothing, and sprawling estates. The concept of opulence can also be linked to cultural landmarks or historical periods known for their lavishness and abundance.
While opulence is often associated with wealth, it can extend beyond financial wealth to encompass richness in other aspects of life, such as intellectual wealth, emotional abundance, or spiritual fulfillment. It can also be metaphorically used to characterize a person's charismatic or elegant demeanor.
To summarize, opulence refers to extreme wealth, abundance, or luxuriousness. It conveys an idea of excessive richness and indulgence, often associated with the display of extravagant material possessions and a grandiose lifestyle.
Wealth; riches; affluence.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "opulence" originated from the Latin term "opulentia", which is derived from the adjective "opulens" meaning "rich, wealthy, abundant". The Latin word ultimately comes from the Latin verb "ops" meaning "power, influence, wealth". This term was also related to the Old Latin noun "opis" meaning "riches, goods, assistance". From Latin, the word was adopted into Old French as "opulence". Eventually, it made its way into the English language, retaining the same meaning of great wealth, affluence, or abundance.