# riches

/ˈɹɪtʃəz/ (US) · /ɹˈɪtʃɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/riches
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. wealth and money

noun · CEFR B2

a large amount of money and valuable possessions.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. an abundance of something good

noun · CEFR B2

a large amount of something very good or useful.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. rich people

noun · CEFR C2 · Dialect · Archaic

a way to refer to people who have a lot of money.

For teachers: 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'.

## Examples

- The king lived in great riches.
- After years of hard work, she finally enjoyed the riches of her success.
- The novel explores how the sudden acquisition of riches can alter family dynamics and personal values.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.