Word
riches
Phoneticsrich·es, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɹɪtʃəz/
UK/ɹˈɪtʃɪz/
Definitions
01wealth and money
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun
n. a large amount of money and valuable possessions.
n. material wealth, money, or valuable possessions. Plural-only noun; does not have a singular form in this sense.
“He spent his life chasing riches but died with very few friends.”
“The explorers returned from the expedition with stories of vast riches hidden deep within the mountain range.”
Antonyms
02an abundance of something good
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun
n. a large amount of something very good or useful.
n. an abundance or profusion of anything desirable, such as natural resources or cultural heritage.
“The local library offers a wealth of riches for anyone who loves history.”
“The coastal region is famous for its natural riches, including rare wildlife and pristine coral reefs.”
03rich people
C2 · Proficiency Plural noun Dialect · Archaic
n. a way to refer to people who have a lot of money.
n. a collective reference to wealthy individuals. Nonstandard and rare in modern usage.
“In the old stories, the riches lived in big houses on the hill.”
“The folk song tells of a time when the riches and the poor worked side by side in the fields.”
Usage
Usually preceded by 'the'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“We know she ruled the country because her tomb complex was filled with riches fit for a male ruler of Egypt.” “At the same time, his rise to fame and riches has an inescapably “only in America” feel to it.” Etymology
From Middle English riches, plural of riche (“power, wealth”), from Old English rīċe (“power, authority, dominion”). Confused with Middle English richesse (“wealth”), from Old French richesse, from riche (“rich, wealthy”), of Germanic origin, from Frankish rīki (“rich”) from Proto-Germanic rīkijaz (“rich, powerful”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, direct, make right”). Akin to Old High German rīhhi (“rich”) (German reich (“rich”)), Old English rīċe (“rich”), Old English racu (“explanation, reasoning”). More at rich.
From rich + -es (plural suffix) by analogy with poors (“poor people”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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