Wealthy Definition & Meaning

American

British

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms wealthy 1 American [wel-thee] / ˈwɛl θi /

adjective

wealthier, wealthiest

1. having great wealth; rich; affluent.

   a wealthy person; a wealthy nation.

   Synonyms: moneyed, well-to-do, prosperous Antonyms: poor

2. characterized by, pertaining to, or suggestive of wealth.

   a wealthy appearance.

3. rich in character, quality, or amount; abundant or ample.

   a novel that is wealthy in its psychological insights.

   Synonyms: copious Antonyms: scanty

Wealthy 2 American [wel-thee] / ˈwɛl θi /

noun

1. a variety of red apple, grown in the U.S., ripening in early autumn.

wealthy British / ˈwɛlθɪ /

adjective

1. possessing wealth; affluent; rich

2. of, characterized by, or relating to wealth

3. abounding

   wealthy in friends

"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

Related Words

See rich.

Other Word Forms

• overwealthy adjective
• quasi-wealthy adjective
• subwealthy adjective
• superwealthy adjective
• unwealthy adjective
• wealthily adverb
• wealthiness noun

Etymology

Origin of wealthy1

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; wealth + -y 1

Origin of Wealthy2

Origin uncertain

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.

Previously, Athenian military enterprise had depended on a small elite, men wealthy enough to provide horses to serve as cavalry or to equip themselves as hoplites, a type of armored infantry.

From The Wall Street Journal

Historically, smaller sides used corner kicks as a way to bridge the gap against wealthier teams.

From BBC

Issa, among the wealthiest members of Congress, began telling people earlier this week that he would retire from Congress, those sources said.

From Los Angeles Times

Some institutional investors and asset managers are not only looking to purchase shares of listed nonbank lenders known as business development companies, or BDCs, but also their underlying assets as wealthy individuals flee the strategy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Their biggest clients are pensions and insurance funds, but wealthy individuals have also flocked to the asset class in recent years, often through “semiliquid” funds that allow capped investments and withdrawals at specific intervals.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• affluent
• independent
• moneyed
• prosperous
• upscale
• well-heeled
• well-off
• well-to-do

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.