rich

¹ American  

[rich] / rɪtʃ /

adjective

richer, richest

1. having wealth or great possessions; abundantly supplied with resources, means, or funds; wealthy.

   a rich man;

   a rich nation.

   Synonyms:

   moneyed, well-to-do

   Antonyms:

   poor

2. abounding in natural resources.

   a rich territory.

   Antonyms:

   poor

3. having wealth or valuable resources (usually followed byin ).

   a country rich in traditions.

   Antonyms:

   poor

4. abounding (usually followed by in orwith ).

   a countryside rich in beauty;

   a design rich with colors.

   Antonyms:

   poor

5. of great value or worth; valuable.

   a rich collection of antique vases.

   Antonyms:

   poor

6. (of food) delectably and perhaps unhealthfully spicy, or sweet and abounding in butter or cream: a rich pastry.

   a rich gravy;

   a rich pastry.

7. costly, expensively elegant, or fine, as dress or jewels.

   Synonyms:

   dear, high-priced, precious

8. elaborately abundant; sumptuous.

   a rich feast.

9. using valuable materials or characterized by elaborate workmanship, as buildings or furniture.

10. abounding in desirable elements or qualities.

    a man rich in kindness.

11. (of wine) strong and finely flavored.

12. (of color) deep, strong, or vivid.

    rich purple.

    Synonyms:

    vibrant, intense

13. full and mellow in tone: a rich voice.

    rich sounds;

    a rich voice.

14. strongly fragrant; pungent.

    a rich odor.

    Synonyms:

    aromatic

15. producing or yielding abundantly.

    a rich soil.

    Synonyms:

    luxuriant, prolific, productive, fruitful

    Antonyms:

    poor

16. abundant, plentiful, or ample.

    a rich supply.

    Synonyms:

    bounteous, copious, bountiful

    Antonyms:

    poor

17. Automotive. (of a mixture in a fuel system) having a relatively high ratio of fuel to air (contrasted with lean).

18. Informal.

    1. highly amusing.

    2. ridiculous; absurd.

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noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. rich persons collectively.

   new tax shelters for the rich.

Rich ² American  

[rich] / rɪtʃ /

noun

1. Adrienne, 1929–2012, U.S. poet and feminist.

2. a male given name, form of Richard.

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rich ¹ British  

/ rɪtʃ /

adjective

1. 1. well supplied with wealth, property, etc; owning much

   2. ( as collective noun ; preceded by the )

      the rich

2. having an abundance of natural resources, minerals, etc

   a land rich in metals

3. producing abundantly; fertile

   rich soil

4. well supplied (with desirable qualities); abundant (in)

   a country rich with cultural interest

5. of great worth or quality; valuable

   a rich collection of antiques

6. luxuriant or prolific

   a rich growth of weeds

7. expensively elegant, elaborate, or fine; costly

   a rich display

8. (of food) having a large proportion of flavoursome or fatty ingredients, such as spices, butter, or cream

9. having a full-bodied flavour

   a rich ruby port

10. (of a smell) pungent or fragrant

11. (of colour) intense or vivid; deep

    a rich red

12. (of sound or a voice) full, mellow, or resonant

13. (of a fuel-air mixture) containing a relatively high proportion of fuel Compare weak

14. very amusing, laughable, or ridiculous

    a rich joke

    a rich situation

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noun

1. See riches

Rich ² British  

/ rɪtʃ /

noun

1. Adrienne. 1929–2012, US poet and feminist writer; her volumes of poetry include Snapshots of a Daughter-in-Law (1963) and Diving Into the Wreck (1973)

2. Buddy , real name Bernard Rich . 1917–87, US jazz drummer and band leader

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rich Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing rich

• embarrassment of riches
• from rags to riches
• strike it rich

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Related Words

Rich, wealthy, affluent all indicate abundance of possessions. Rich is the general word; it may imply that possessions are newly acquired: an oilman who became rich overnight. Wealthy suggests permanence, stability, and appropriate surroundings: a wealthy banker. Affluent usually suggests a generous amount of income, with a high standard of living and some social prestige and privilege: an affluent family.

Other Word Forms

• overrich adjective
• overrichly adverb
• overrichness noun
• richly adverb
• richness noun
• superrich adjective
• ultrarich adjective

Etymology

Origin of rich

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English rīce (adjective), ultimately from Celtic; cognate with German reich “wealthy”; akin to Latin rēx, Sanskrit rājan “king”

Explanation

The rich are the wealthy people in society. If you daydream of owning multi-billion dollar corporations and driving around in fancy cars, then you dream of being one of the rich. Rich is a cognate (meaning a word that sounds the same and means the same) with various of Germanic, Frisian, and Dutch words for "king." Now it tends to be an adjective meaning "abundant." That might be abundant money, as in your rich cousin Henry. A rich sauce is buttery and creamy and delicious. Rich land is fertile and abundant in crops. A rich idea has many possible applications. Rich coffee is full, dark and intense.

Example Sentences

The European Champions will be hoping to write another chapter in their country's rich footballing history.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

The lighting is varied, treated as another texture in the space, palpable and rich.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

According to the listing, the 22-foot-wide property marries “traditional English charm, modern Brooklyn sensibilities, and rich Italian influence.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

In Venezuela, where Chevron is the largest foreign investor, the company agreed this past week to an asset-swap deal that would boost its position in regions rich in viscous heavy oil that U.S. refineries favor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

The prism of lights once again deepened into colors so rich they blotted the clouds.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• elegant
• expensive
• fertile
• full
• gorgeous
• lush
• plentiful
• smart
• splendid
• valuable