epicurean n.

late 14c., "follower of Epicurus," a Latinized form of Greek Epicouros (341-270 B.C.E.), Athenian philosopher who taught that pleasure is the highest good and identified virtue as the greatest pleasure; the first lesson recalled, the second forgotten, and the name used pejoratively for "one who gives himself up to sensual pleasure" (1560s), especially "glutton, sybarite" (1774).

Epicurus's school was opposed by the stoics, who first gave his name a reproachful sense. The non-pejorative meaning "one who cultivates refined taste in food and drink" is from 1580s.

Among all the set [of philosophers] Epicurus is most considerable, whom men make honest without an Elyzium, who contemned life without encouragement of immortality, and making nothing after death, yet made nothing of the King of terrours. [Browne, "Urn-Burial," 1658]

But to Dante he is among the arch-heretics in Hell "who make the soul die with the body."

variant of suffix -an (q.v.), with connective -i-. From Latin -ianus, in which the -i- originally was from the stem of the word being attached but later came to be felt as connective. In Middle English frequently it was -ien, via French.