Late Middle English (denoting a disciple of Epicurus): via medieval Latin from Greek Epikouros 'Epicurus'.

• In ancient times an Epicure was a follower of the Athenian philosopher Epicurus (341–270 bc). The Epicures or Epicureans were ‘hedonists’ who believed that pleasure was the highest good, although the pleasure they had in mind was restrained. They valued mental pleasure more highly than physical, and thought that the ultimate pleasure was freedom from anxiety and mental pain, especially from needless fear of death and the gods. In their view the gods existed but did not concern themselves with humans. Because they talked of ‘pleasure’ (hēdonē in Greek, as in hedonist (mid 19th century)) as the most desirable objective, people later thought of them as dedicated to having a good time all of the time. Nowadays, the word is restricted in meaning to someone with a particular interest in good food. See also cynic, stoic