rich

¹

[ rich ]

adjective

, rich·er, rich·est.

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 by in ):

   a country rich in traditions.

   Antonyms: poor

4. abounding (usually followed by in or with ):

   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: high-priced, precious, dear

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 ( lean ²def 5 ).
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 /

noun

1. RichAdrienne19292012FUSWRITING: poetPOLITICS: feminist writer 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. RichBuddy19171987MUSMUSIC: jazz drummerMUSIC: bandleader Buddy , real name Bernard Rich . 1917–87, US jazz drummer and band leader

rich

²

/ rɪtʃ /

adjective

1. 1. well supplied with wealth, property, etc; owning much
   2. ( as collective noun ; preceded by the )

      the rich

2. whenpostpositive, usually foll by in having an abundance of natural resources, minerals, etc

   a land rich in metals

3. producing abundantly; fertile

   rich soil

4. whenpostpositive, usually foll by in or with 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. See weak
    (of a fuel-air mixture) containing a relatively high proportion of fuel Compare weak
14. very amusing, laughable, or ridiculous

    a rich situation

    a rich joke

noun

1. See riches
   See riches

Other Words From

• richly adverb
• richness noun
• over·rich adjective
• over·richly adverb
• over·richness noun
• super·rich adjective noun
• ultra·rich adjective noun

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

In addition to the idiom beginning with rich , also see 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

The housing authority has aggressively pursued some of the poorest residents in Annapolis, one of the country’s oldest and richest cities.

From ProPublica

It held thousands of visitors, beautiful music, salmon dinners, and rich, deep conversations.

From Outside Online

Jio is the brainchild of Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man and head of a petrochemical-focused empire, Reliance Industries.

From Fortune

Exclusive patents and high prices that sometimes make lifesaving medicines unaffordable in rich countries often render them completely unavailable in the poor world, they argue.

From Fortune

Lowe’s ratio of price to estimated earnings for the next 12 months is around 21, which Morningstar’s Katz describes as “rich,” while Home Depot trades at around 26 times estimated forward earnings.

From Fortune

In this cockamamie get-rich scheme, would they all issue an apology if he cut a check?

From The Daily Beast

Or how much richer a few rich Mexicans are going to get in the process?

From The Daily Beast

Liberal Democrats like to blow their bugles about how all the big money in politics comes from rich Republicans.

From The Daily Beast

Since then, the rising gap between the rich and middle- and lower-income families has risen to the fore.

From The Daily Beast

The relationships, and motivations of their chief participants, are as tangled and shady as you expect of the super-rich.

From The Daily Beast

Sometimes necessity makes an honest man a knave: and a rich man a honest man, because he has no occasion to be a knave.

From Project Gutenberg

Do you want the marriage of your daughter with the rich and Honourable Harry broken?

From Project Gutenberg

It succeeds best in a deep rich loam in a climate ranging from forty to fifty degrees of latitude.

From Project Gutenberg

They are so rich in harmony, so weird, so wild, that when you hear them you are like a sea-weed cast upon the bosom of the ocean.

From Project Gutenberg

Excretion of these substances is greatly increased by a diet rich in nuclei, as sweetbreads and liver.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• creamy
• delicious
• heavy
• juicy
• luscious
• satisfying
• savory
• spicy
• sweet
• tasty