| luxury | Origin: L. Luxuria, fr. Luxus: cf. F. Luxure. 1. A free indulgence in costly food, dress, furniture, or anything expensive which gratifies the appetites or tastes. "Riches expose a man to pride and luxury." (Spectator) 2. Anything which pleases the senses, and is also costly, or difficult to obtain; an expensive rarity; as, silks, jewels, and rare fruits are luxuries; in some countries ice is a great luxury. "He cut the side of a rock for a garden, and, by laying on it earth, furnished out a kind of luxury for a hermit." (Addison) 3. Lechery; lust. "Luxury is in wine and drunkenness." (Chaucer) 4. Luxuriance; exuberance. Synonym: Voluptuousness, epicurism, effeminacy, sensuality, lasciviousness, dainty, delicacy, gratification. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| luxury protein | A term sometimes used to describe those proteins that are produced specifically for the function of differentiated cells and are not required for general cell maintenance (the so called housekeeping proteins). (18 Nov 1997) |