Luxurious—Luxuriant

The line is drawn much more sharply between these two words now than it was formerly. Luxurious was once used, to some extent at least, in the sense of rank growth , but now all careful writers and speakers use it in the sense of indulging or delighting in luxury . We talk of a luxurious table, a luxurious liver, luxurious ease, luxurious freedom. Luxuriant, on the other hand, is restricted to the sense of rank , or exce ive , growth or production; thus, luxuriant weeds, luxuriant foliage or branches, luxuriant growth. "Prune the luxuriant , the uncouth refine, But show no mercy to an empty line."—Pope.