Epicurean comes from Epicurus, the ancient Greek philosopher who taught that pleasure was an important part of a good life. Originally, the word referred to a follower of his philosophy.
Over time, the meaning shifted in everyday English. Today, epicurean usually describes someone who takes special pleasure in high quality food and drink, or anything associated with refined taste.
For example, you might say:
- They planned an epicurean weekend filled with tasting menus and local wines.
- He is an epicurean who loves carefully prepared meals.
This modern meaning reflects only part of Epicurus’s ideas. He did value pleasure, but not endless luxury. In his philosophy, pleasure was closely tied to peace of mind, moderation, and freedom from pain.
So the word has historical roots in philosophy, even though it is now most often connected with gourmet enjoyment.