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Definition of extravagance noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

extravagance

noun
 
/ɪkˈstrævəɡəns/
 
/ɪkˈstrævəɡəns/
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  1. [uncountable] the act or habit of spending more money than you can afford or than is necessary
    • Such extravagance is shameful when there are people starving in the world.
    • the sheer extravagance of buying such expensive clothes
  2. [countable] something that you buy although it costs a lot of money, perhaps more than you can afford or than is necessary
    • Going to the theatre is our only extravagance.
  3. [countable, uncountable] something that is impressive or likely to attract attention because it is unusual or extreme
    • the extravagance of Strauss’s music
    4. Word Originmid 17th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin extravagant- ‘diverging greatly’, from the verb extravagari, from Latin extra- ‘outside’ + vagari ‘wander’.
See extravagance in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: extravagance

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