Now rare or Obs. Forms: 4–6 voluptuosite (5 -itee, 5–6 -yte, 6 -ytee), 5–6 voluptuositie (5 -itye), 7– voluptuosity. [a. OF. voluptuosité (= Sp. voluptuosidad, Pg. -idade), or ad. med.L. voluptuōsitas, f. L. voluptuōs-us: see next.] The quality or state of being voluptuous; voluptuousness.
a. 1380. St. Augustine, 741, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 74. But þat paas is voluptuosite.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 280. Thurgh sotie and thurgh nycete, Of his voluptuosite He spareth no condicion Of ken ne yit religion.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), III. 349. Thei scholde not ȝiffe theire myndes to voluptuosite, but to theire doctrine.
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 99. Epicurus,… if all he was a sewer of voluptuosite,… neuer-þe-les he … said, þat appyls & oþer vile meatis sulde be vsid.
1483. Caxton, Cato, I ij. Thou oughtest to flee dronkeship, and lechery and al her voluptuosites.
1515. Barclay, Egloges, ii. (1570), B iv/2. Voluptuositie Will haue of dishes chaunge & diwersitie. Ibid. (c. 1520), Jugurth (1557), 44. This discorde and takyng of parties bytwene them … began amonge them … by superfluous habundance of richesse, voluptuosite, and of other worldely delectations.
a. 1678. Woodhead, Holy Living (1688), 113. The same action, that now is lawful, if continued, presently becomes unlawful (as … particular affection, into concupiscence; recreations, into voluptuosity).
