Language is constantly evolving, and some words become obsolete, others have a new meaning. Sometimes in some works in the description of the hero you can read that he is a sybarite. This word is not used actively in oral speech, therefore, to determine its meaning, you need a dictionary. What is this word and where did it come from?
Explanation of meaning
Sybarite is a person who is spoiled for luxury, pampered. The word comes from the name of one rich ancient Greek city in which rich people lived. What is "sybarite" in a broader sense? This is a man who likes to spend his life in pleasures and wealth.
Once such a lifestyle was even welcomed. And people strove for contentment and luxury, while spending time in entertainment. But at the same time, the sybarites did not strive to improve the lives of those around them and to benefit society.
Etymology
This word came into the Russian language, according to some linguists, from the French language - sybarite, which translates as "pampered", "sybaritic". And the French word comes from Latin, which means "resident of the city of Sibaris."
This city was known for its wealth and idle lifestyle. In Russian, from this noun, the verbs "sybarite" and "sybarite" were formed.
Briefly about the legend
What are sybarites? These are people who not only lead an idle lifestyle. They are also arrogant representatives of society who are proud of their wealth. They were often mentioned in ancient literature. But archaeological excavations did not confirm the legend that the inhabitants of Sibaris were richer than the rest of the inhabitants of ancient Greece.
Some believe that this legend appeared due to the fact that the name of the city translates as "magnificent." But the barbarians generally believed that all Greeks led an idle lifestyle.
When they say about a person that he is a sybarite, this means that he likes a rich and luxurious lifestyle, in which you can do nothing, but just have fun. In modern Russian, this word is rarely used, more often it can be seen in literature, works on philosophy and psychology.
Many languages have words of Latin and Greek origin. This is due to the fact that many languages are descended from these two. In addition, Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome are known for their philosophers, who were among the first to be interested in questions about human psychology. Therefore, the word "sybarite" has a Latin origin. Learning such words can improve a person’s cultural level.