US /wɛlθ/
noun Freq #3830

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    A large amount of money and valuable possessions.

    He used his wealth to help the poor.

  2. 2
    noun

    A large amount or supply of something.

    She brings a wealth of knowledge to the project.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
Opposites
Word family
Derived forms bridewealthcattlewealthcommonwealthmegawealthsuperwealthunwealthwealthenwealthfarewealthfulwealthfullywealthilywealthiness
Related forms moneyowndompropertywealthy

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 Dutch weelde (“wealth”), Low German weelde (“wealth”), Old High German welida, welitha (“w…

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