rich

[ rich ]
See synonyms for rich on Thesaurus.com
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.

  2. abounding in natural resources: a rich territory.

  1. having wealth or valuable resources (usually followed by in): a country rich in traditions.

  2. abounding (usually followed by in or with): a countryside rich in beauty;a design rich with colors.

  3. of great value or worth; valuable: a rich collection of antique vases.

  4. (of food) delectably and perhaps unhealthfully spicy, or sweet and abounding in butter or cream: a rich gravy;a rich pastry.

  5. costly, expensively elegant, or fine, as dress or jewels.

  6. elaborately abundant; sumptuous: a rich feast.

  7. using valuable materials or characterized by elaborate workmanship, as buildings or furniture.

  8. abounding in desirable elements or qualities: a man rich in kindness.

  9. (of wine) strong and finely flavored.

  10. (of color) deep, strong, or vivid: rich purple.

  11. full and mellow in tone: rich sounds;a rich voice.

  12. strongly fragrant; pungent: a rich odor.

  13. producing or yielding abundantly: a rich soil.

  14. abundant, plentiful, or ample: a rich supply.

  15. Automotive. (of a mixture in a fuel system) having a relatively high ratio of fuel to air (contrasted with lean2 def. 5).

  16. Informal.

nounUsually the rich .(used with a plural verb)
  1. rich persons collectively: new tax shelters for the rich.

Origin of rich

1
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”

synonym study For rich

1. 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.

Other words for rich

Opposites for rich

Other words from rich

  • richly, adverb
  • richness, 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

Other definitions for Rich (2 of 2)

Rich
[ rich ]

noun
  1. Adrienne, 1929–2012, U.S. poet and feminist.

  2. a male given name, form of Richard.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for rich (1 of 2)

rich

/ (rɪtʃ) /


adjective
    • well supplied with wealth, property, etc; owning much

    • (as collective noun; preceded by the): the rich

  1. (when postpositive , usually foll by in) having an abundance of natural resources, minerals, etc: a land rich in metals

  1. producing abundantly; fertile: rich soil

  2. (when postpositive , usually foll by in or with) well supplied (with desirable qualities); abundant (in): a country rich with cultural interest

  3. of great worth or quality; valuable: a rich collection of antiques

  4. luxuriant or prolific: a rich growth of weeds

  5. expensively elegant, elaborate, or fine; costly: a rich display

  6. (of food) having a large proportion of flavoursome or fatty ingredients, such as spices, butter, or cream

  7. having a full-bodied flavour: a rich ruby port

  8. (of a smell) pungent or fragrant

  9. (of colour) intense or vivid; deep: a rich red

  10. (of sound or a voice) full, mellow, or resonant

  11. (of a fuel-air mixture) containing a relatively high proportion of fuel: Compare weak (def. 12)

  12. very amusing, laughable, or ridiculous: a rich joke; a rich situation

noun
  1. See riches

Origin of rich

1
Old English rīce (originally of persons: great, mighty), of Germanic origin, ultimately from Celtic (compare Old Irish king)

British Dictionary definitions for Rich (2 of 2)

Rich

/ (rɪtʃ) /


noun
  1. 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. Buddy, real name Bernard Rich . 1917–87, US jazz drummer and band leader

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with rich

rich

In addition to the idiom beginning with rich

  • rich as Croesus

also see:

  • embarrassment of riches
  • from rags to riches
  • strike it rich

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.