wealth
Americannoun
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a great quantity or store of money, valuable possessions, property, or other riches.
the wealth of a city.
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an abundance or profusion of anything; plentiful amount.
a wealth of imagery.
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Economics.
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all things that have a monetary or exchange value.
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anything that has utility and is capable of being appropriated or exchanged.
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rich or valuable contents or produce.
the wealth of the soil.
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the state of being rich; prosperity; affluence.
persons of wealth and standing.
- Antonyms:
- poverty
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Obsolete. happiness.
noun
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a large amount of money and valuable material possessions
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the state of being rich
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a great profusion
a wealth of gifts
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economics all goods and services with monetary, exchangeable, or productive value
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wealth
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English welth; equivalent to well 1 + -th 1; modeled on health
Explanation
The word wealth has many shades of meaning, but most involve having a lot of something — often money or something else that's valuable. You might have a wealth of experience, or you might have great personal wealth. First used in the mid-13th century, the noun wealth can mean having a lot of material goods or money. A person with this kind of wealth may have a chateau in Italy with a vineyard and a personal yacht. Wealth can also mean a big supply of something. The birth of a newborn baby will surely bring a wealth of happiness and joy to a family.
Vocabulary lists containing wealth
Tax Day Words
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"A Suitcase of Seaweed" and "Immigrants Today"
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"The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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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.
Facing similar questions about the source of his wealth and poor showings in early Democratic primaries, he dropped out in February of 2020.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Shinsegae's subsidiary E-mart owns a 67.5% controlling stake in Starbucks Korea, while the remaining share is owned by Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
In the 2010 governor’s race, Whitman spent $144 million of her wealth on an unsuccessful campaign, which set a record for statewide campaign spending in the nation until Democrat J.B.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
If you have liquidity needs you can’t easily meet, you can transfer assets to your trust and take out the equivalent value in cash, says Robert Westley, regional wealth advisor at Northern Trust.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
But even after she had given away 55 percent of her wealth, Grace was still the richest twelve-year-old in the world.
From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
