wealth
noun/wɛlθ/ · [wɛl̪θ]
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English welth, welthe (“happiness, prosperity”), from Old English *welþ, *welþu, from Proto-West Germanic *waliþu (“wealth”). Alternatively, possibly an alteration (due to similar words in -th: compare helth (“health”), derth (“dearth”)) of wele (“wealth, well-being, weal”), from Old English wela (“wealth, prosperity”), from Proto-Germanic *walô (“well-being, prosperity”), from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“good, best”); equivalent to weal + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with West Frisian wielde (“wealth”), Dutch weelde (“wealth”), Low German Weelde (“wealth”), Old High German welida, welitha (“wealth”). Related also to German Wohl (“welfare, well-being, weal”), Danish vel (“weal, welfare”), Swedish väl (“well-being, weal”). More at weal, well.
Economics, Sciences Riches; a great amount of valuable assets or material possessions.
- Money talks, but true wealth whispers.
A great amount; an abundance or plenty.
- She brings a wealth of knowledge to the project.
- There is a wealth of carved wood inside: from pulpit to pews, screens to lectern, and a large medieval chest made from a hollowed-out log of bog-oak with a massive lid.1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 269, about a church in Lower Peover:
1 more example
- Beyond its aim to bring patients the most effective treatments faster, the service is expected to generate a wealth of data on the interplay between DNA, health and lifestyles, which will become a powerful tool for research into cancer and other diseases.2018 July 3, Ian Sample, “Routine DNA tests will put NHS at the 'forefront of medicine'”, in The Guardian:
Obsolete Prosperity; well-being; happiness.
- I once did lend my body for his wealth, / Which, but for him that had your husband's ring, / Had quite miscarried: […]c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
- Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 10:24:
- Synonyms
- abundance, affluence, cheese, ease, fortune, Mammon, opulence, plenty, richdom, riches, wealth
- Antonyms
- poverty
- Derived terms
28 terms
bookshelf wealth, bridewealth, cattlewealth, commonwealth, Commonwealth, cultural wealth, generational wealth, health is wealth, health is your first wealth, megawealth, redistribution of wealth, roll in wealth, self-made wealth, sovereign wealth fund, stealth wealth, superwealth, unwealth, wealthen, wealthfare, wealthful, wealthfully, wealthily, wealthiness, wealthless, wealthlessness, wealth tax, wealthy, wealthyish- Hypernyms
- excess
- Hyponyms
- prosperity, prosperousness