late 14c., "of or pertaining to desires or appetites," from Old French voluptueux, volumptueuse and directly from Latin voluptuosus "full of pleasure, delightful," from voluptas "pleasure, delight, enjoyment, satisfaction," from volup "pleasurably," perhaps ultimately related to velle "to wish," from PIE *wel- (2) "to wish, will" (see will, v.). Meaning "addicted to sensual pleasure" is recorded from mid-15c. Sense of "suggestive of sensual pleasure" is attested from 1816 (Byron); especially in reference to feminine beauty from 1839. Related: Voluptuously; voluptuousness.