ritzy
UK[ˈrɪtsi]US[ˈrɪtsi]
adj
Expensive and fashionable in a way that is intended to attract attention and admiration.
adj
Characteristic of or suitable for the wealthy and fashionable; luxurious and showy.
Morpheme Breakdown
ritz
y
ritz
sense
y
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'ritzy' is a direct derivation from the name 'Ritz', associated with the opulent hotels founded by César Ritz in the early 20th century. The surname Ritz itself is of Swiss-German origin, likely a pet form of the name 'Richard' or derived from a place name. By adding the common adjectival suffix '-y', the word was coined in American English around 1920 to describe anything resembling the lavish and fashionable style of the Ritz hotels. This transformation from a proper noun to a descriptive adjective exemplifies how brand names can enter the general lexicon to signify a particular quality—in this case, conspicuous luxury and sophistication.
Analysis
Structure: ritz (sense) + y (adjective suffix)
- ritz: From the proper noun 'Ritz', referring to the luxurious Ritz hotels, ultimately from the surname of Swiss hotelier César Ritz.
- y: A productive English suffix forming adjectives meaning "characterized by; full of; having the quality of" (from Old English -ig, Proto-Germanic -īgaz, Proto-Indo-European -kos).
Examples
They celebrated their anniversary at a ritzy new restaurant downtown.
She wore a ritzy gown covered in sequins to the gala.
The hotel lobby was far too ritzy for my simple tastes.