affluence
Americannoun
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abundance of money, property, and other material goods; riches; wealth.
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an abundant supply, as of thoughts or words; profusion.
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a flowing to or toward; afflux.
noun
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an abundant supply of money, goods, or property; wealth
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rare abundance or profusion
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of affluence
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin affluentia, equivalent to af- af- + flu- flow + -entia -ence
Explanation
Affluence means great wealth and abundance, such as the great riches found by ancient explorers who exploited the new worlds of North and South America. The roots of the word affluence are recognizable in the Latin affluentia, which refers to something that flows toward (someone). We can see the connection when we think of the flow of wealth that signifies affluence in our society. For centuries we have seen the affluence in the United States that sparked admiration and jealousy among poorer nations, and we have seen that same affluence rising now in China, as it prepares to take its place as a major world power.
Vocabulary lists containing affluence
Frankenstein
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Johnny Tremain
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Revolution in Our Time
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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.
Kadens’s pitch to the 33 students taking his weekly “Mastering Wealth” class: Affluence isn’t just for privileged people, but for anyone willing to take big risks and work like a demon.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025
“Earning to give” has its roots in the work of the radical utilitarian philosopher Peter Singer, whose 1972 essay “Famine, Affluence and Morality” has been a foundational E.A. text.
From New York Times • Dec. 9, 2022
Affluence is downplayed, and it’s hard to guess what people do.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 23, 2016
In the 1990s, it gained prominence after Jessie O’Neill, granddaughter of a former General Motors president, published a book, The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence.
From The Guardian • Feb. 20, 2016
“Anyone can buy a one-off expensive car,” said Paul Nunes, who with Brian Johnson wrote Mass Affluence, a book on marketing strategies.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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.
