ritzier; ritziest
1
: impressively or ostentatiously fancy or stylish : fashionable, posh
a ritzy boutique
2
ritziness noun

Did you know?

César Ritz (1850-1918) earned worldwide renown for the luxurious hotels bearing his name in London and Paris. (The Ritz-Carlton hotel company is a contemporary descendant of these enterprises.) Although they were by no means the first to cater to high-end clients, Ritz’s hotels quickly earned reputations as symbols of opulence. F. Scott Fitzgerald, a writer who often focused on the fashionably wealthy, titled one of his short stories “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz,” and the phrase “to put on the ritz” means “to indulge in ostentatious display.” The adjective ritzy, describing either something fancy or stylish, or the haughty attitudes of the wealthy elite, first checked into the English language in 1919.

Examples of ritzy in a Sentence

I don't appreciate your ritzy advice about whom I “should” associate with.
Recent Examples on the Web Ripley This visually compelling black-and-white retelling of the chilling Patricia Highsmith story follows a morally corrupt grifter who ingratiates himself in the ritzy lifestyle of an unsuspecting playboy in Italy – and commits murder to stay there. Dan Heching, CNN, 13 Sep. 2024 The ritzy Long Island location was perhaps apropos, as the looks and their derivatives will surely be seen throughout the Hamptons next year. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024 Harris was in a border state — but attended a ritzy fundraiser instead of doing her job. Fox News, 12 Aug. 2024 Glamorous and ritzy, with a touch of early 20th-century charm, The St. Regis is rich in detail, with a stunning lobby that was part of a massive overhaul initiated when the hotel changed hands. Hannah Selinger, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for ritzy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ritzy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Ritz hotels, noted for their opulence

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ritzy was in 1919

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Dictionary Entries Near ritzy

Cite this Entry

“Ritzy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ritzy. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

ritzy

adjective
ritzier; ritziest
1
: very fashionable
2
Etymology

from Ritz, name of a group of elegant hotels

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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