riches
Americanplural noun
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of riches
1175–1225; Middle English, plural of Middle English riche wealth, power ( Old English rīce power, rule; cognate with German Reich realm); confused with Middle English richesse wealth < Old French, equivalent to riche wealthy (< Germanic; see rich) + -esse -ess
Explanation
Use the word riches when you're talking about wealth, including money, treasures, and expensive belongings. Most people who buy lottery tickets dream of winning riches. Occasionally, someone who's born into poverty will grow up to earn riches through hard work and a lot of luck — but more often, people inherit their riches from wealthy relatives. You can also use riches in a figurative way, for something bountiful or profuse: "Let's go to the farmers market and see what riches are available!" Riches was originally richesse, a singular word that was misinterpreted as being plural.
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.
We all know about France's abundance of riches in attack, but the other end of the pitch throws up the most intriguing battle - Viktor Gyokeres v Arsenal team-mate William Saliba.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
Still, the trading floor’s soaring ceilings serve as a reminder of its Wall Street riches.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026
It was befitting of an important office job, with only the lightest indicators of riches and omnipotence.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
Year-over-year comparisons do get tougher toward the end of 2027, but that’s at least in part an “embarrassment of riches, since growth rates right now are pretty stellar.”
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
Forbid a man something and he craves it like his soul’s salvation, all the more so when that something is the source of incomparable riches.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
