riches

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun an abundance of material possessions and resources
  2. noun people who have possessions and wealth (considered as a group)

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.

In classic literature

Synonyms

wealth

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