Sumptuary

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sumptuary \Sump"tu*a*ry\, a. [L. sumptuarius, fr. sumptus
     expense, cost, fr. sumere, sumptum, to take, use, spend; sub
     under + emere to take, buy: cf. F. somptuaire. See {Redeem}.]
     Relating to expense; regulating expense or expenditure.
     --Bacon.
     [1913 Webster]


  
     {Sumptuary laws} or {Sumptuary regulations}, laws intended to
        restrain or limit the expenditure of citizens in apparel,
        food, furniture, etc.; laws which regulate the prices of
        commodities and the wages of labor; laws which forbid or
        restrict the use of certain articles, as of luxurious
        apparel.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  sumptuary
       adj : regulating or controlling expenditure or personal behavior;
             "sumptuary laws discouraging construction of large
             houses on small plots"; "sumptuary laws forbidding
             gambling"