rich

¹

[rich]

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, poor, poor, poor, poor

2. abounding in natural resources.

   a rich territory.

   Antonyms: poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

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

   a country rich in traditions.

   Antonyms: poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

4. abounding (usually followed by in orwith ).

   a countryside rich in beauty;

   a design rich with colors.

   Antonyms: poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

5. of great value or worth; valuable.

   a rich collection of antique vases.

   Antonyms: poor, poor, poor, poor, 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, poor, poor, poor, poor

16. abundant, plentiful, or ample.

    a rich supply.

    Synonyms: bounteous, copious, bountiful
    Antonyms: poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

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

18. Informal.

    1. highly amusing.

    2. ridiculous; absurd.

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. rich persons collectively.

   new tax shelters for the rich.

Rich

²

[rich]

noun

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

2. a male given name, form of Richard.

rich

¹

/ 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

noun

1. See riches

Rich

²

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of rich¹

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of rich¹

Old English rīce (originally of persons: great, mighty), of Germanic origin, ultimately from Celtic (compare Old Irish rī king)

Idioms and Phrases

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

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

He struck it rich, and got into the lumber business.

From Los Angeles Times

They point out again and again that most residents of rich countries already consume more protein than they need.

From BBC

Developing countries, especially China, led the clean energy charge but richer nations including the US and EU relied more than before on planet-warming fossil fuels for electricity generation.

From BBC

Prof Charles Knight, chief executive of the hospital, said the renewal work stood "as a lasting legacy of our recent 900th anniversary, connecting centuries of medical excellence with our rich heritage".

From BBC

The trio once had big plans centered on the prototype of an artificial heart they designed, THUMPR7, which they were convinced would change the world by extending the lives of millions, rich, poor or otherwise.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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