Live on the fat of the land means to live very well, especially with plenty of food, comfort, or money. Today, it often suggests an abundant lifestyle, whether earned, inherited, or made possible by rich resources.
The phrase is old and has biblical roots. In older usage, fat could mean the richest, best, or most desirable part of something, especially food or produce. Because of that, the expression came to suggest enjoying the finest and most plentiful things the land can provide.
In modern English, people usually use it figuratively. It does not mean literal fat. Instead, it means living in plenty.
- After the business was sold, the family lived on the fat of the land for a decade.
- With fertile fields and steady rain, the valley’s farmers could live on the fat of the land.
The tone can be neutral, positive, or slightly critical, depending on context. It may simply describe comfort, or it may imply that someone is living especially well while others are not.