EXTRAVAGANCE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does extravagance mean? 

• EXTRAVAGANCE (noun)
  The noun EXTRAVAGANCE has 3 senses:

1. the quality of exceeding the appropriate limits of decorum or probability or truth

2. the trait of spending extravagantly

3. excessive spending

  Familiarity information: EXTRAVAGANCE used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EXTRAVAGANCE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The quality of exceeding the appropriate limits of decorum or probability or truth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

extravagance; extravagancy

Context example:

we were surprised by the extravagance of his description

Hypernyms ("extravagance" is a kind of...):

excess; excessiveness; inordinateness (immoderation as a consequence of going beyond sufficient or permitted limits)

Derivation:

extravagant (unrestrained, especially with regard to feelings)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The trait of spending extravagantly

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

extravagance; prodigality; profligacy

Hypernyms ("extravagance" is a kind of...):

improvidence; shortsightedness (a lack of prudence and care by someone in the management of resources)

Derivation:

extravagant (recklessly wasteful)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Excessive spending

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

extravagance; high life; highlife; lavishness; prodigality

Hypernyms ("extravagance" is a kind of...):

dissipation; waste; wastefulness (useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly)

Derivation:

extravagant (recklessly wasteful)

 Context examples 

Henry's address, short as it had been, had more thoroughly opened her eyes to the extravagance of her late fancies than all their several disappointments had done.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

The light had gone out of my uncle’s eyes and the extravagance from his manner.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It requires great powers, great nicety, to give her playfulness and simplicity without extravagance.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Vanity, while seeking its own guilty triumph at the expense of another, had involved him in a real attachment, which extravagance, or at least its offspring, necessity, had required to be sacrificed.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Missis refused: her means have long been much reduced by his extravagance; so he went back again, and the next news was that he was dead.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

"I'm glad of it, that's one of your foolish extravagances, sending flowers and things to girls for whom you don't care two pins," continued Jo reprovingly.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The extravagance and general profligacy which he scrupled not to lay at Mr. Wickham's charge, exceedingly shocked her; the more so, as she could bring no proof of its injustice.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I did every wild extravagance that could be done, and was a long way beyond the end of my wits when Miss Mills came into the room.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

And so Martin's role was arranged for him, while he, led on by Arthur and Norman, was meditating an extravagance.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He assumed a mock extravagance, and went on: I am no attic singer, no ballroom warbler. And why? Because I am practical.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)