affluent
Americanadjective
-
having an abundance of wealth, property, or other material goods; prosperous; rich.
an affluent person.
-
abounding in anything; abundant.
- Synonyms:
- teeming
-
flowing freely.
an affluent fountain.
noun
-
a tributary stream.
-
an affluent person.
a luxurious resort appealing to young affluents.
adjective
-
rich; wealthy
-
abundant; copious
-
flowing freely
noun
Synonym Usage
See rich.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of affluent
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin affluent- (stem of affluēns “rich”; originally present participle of affluere ), equivalent to af- af- + flu- “flow” + -ent -ent
Explanation
You know you're driving through an affluent neighborhood when you see large houses, perfect landscaping, and expensive cars. Use affluent to describe wealthy people or areas. In Middle English, affluent meant "abundant, flowing," from Old French, from Latin affluēns, from affluere "to abound in," from the prefix ad- "to, at" plus fluere "to flow." The meaning of "abundant, flowing" is still seen in phrases such as "affluent prose." But mostly, when you use the word affluent, the thing understood to be flowing is cash.
Vocabulary lists containing affluent
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)
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300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Families must meet significant costs or seek sponsorship to give their children a shot at advancing - creating a system that has seldom favoured those from less affluent households.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
The mall reported that higher-end tenants were seeing particularly strong demand for luxury goods, with affluent buyers focused on accessories, especially wristwatches.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026
In the years since, as affluent consumers propped up aggregate spending, that dynamic hasn’t played out.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
For these affluent investors, a 60-40 portfolio means sacrificing the tremendous upside potential of stocks to avoid temporary losses.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
And, for the families who could afford it, their houses would be elaborately decorated with trinketry, and the very affluent would have Christmas trees in their homes and exchange small gifts.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
