Lush Describes Plants and, in Slang, a Drinker
Lush means growing thickly and richly. American slang gave the same word a very different job.
Lush means growing thickly and luxuriantly, or rich and luxurious. It probably comes from *lascious*, an old form of *luscious*, and originally described vegetation. American slang of the 1800s took *lush* for alcoholic drink and then for a heavy drinker — an unexpected turn for a word about greenery, and the two senses have coexisted without merging. In British informal use *lush* can simply mean excellent, particularly in the south west and Wales.
- Growing thickly. *Lush grass.*
- Luxurious. *A lush interior.*
- A heavy drinker. *A lush.*
- Excellent (British slang). *That is lush.*
- From *luscious*. *The likely source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | lush | Lush. |
| Noun | lush | A lush. |
| Adverb | lushly | Lushly. |
| Noun | lushness | Lushness. |
| Related | luscious | Luscious. |
- The valley was lush and green.Growth.
- A lush velvet interior.Luxury.
- The slang sense is American.History.
Words with a regional British sense
- Lush — excellent, in Wales and the south west
- Mint — excellent, in the north east
- Belter — something outstanding, in Scotland and the north
- Bostin — excellent, in the Black Country
- Each is strongly local and instantly identifies a speaker
Probably an alteration of *lascious*, an old form of *luscious*, recorded from the 1400s.
How did lush come to mean a drinker?
American slang of the 1800s used lush for alcoholic drink, and the word then transferred to the person drinking it.
Does lush mean excellent?
In parts of Britain, yes, particularly Wales and the south west, where it is a common term of approval.