English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
adj B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

wealthy

WEHL-thee

Wealthy (adj) means having a great deal of money or property; rich. Example: “A wealthy investor bought the old mansion and restored it.”

adj
1
Having a great deal of money or property; rich.
"A wealthy investor bought the old mansion and restored it."
noun
1
Rich people collectively, used with "the."
"A tax break aimed mainly at the wealthy."

How to use wealthy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHaving a lot of money or valuable possessions.

Easily confused with

Word forms

wealthier comparative, more wealthy comparative, wealthies plural, Wealthys plural, Wealthies plural, wealthiest superlative, most wealthy superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “wealthy” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

A _____ investor bought the old mansion and restored it.

Etymology

From Middle English welthy, welþi, equivalent to wealth + -y. Cognate with Middle Dutch weldech, weeldech (“magnificent, luscious, lavish”).

Origin: Middle English

affluent prosperous well-off opulent bow-legged wi' brass comfortably off filthy rich loaded minted moneyed moneybags of means

Antonyms

Related words

Rhymes for wealthy

See all rhymes for wealthy →

Frequently asked questions

What does “wealthy” mean?

The word “wealthy” means having a great deal of money or property; rich. In plain terms, having a lot of money or valuable possessions.

How do you pronounce “wealthy”?

“Wealthy” is pronounced WEHL-thee (/ˈwɛl.θi/ in IPA).

How do you use “wealthy” in a sentence?

Here is “wealthy” used in a sentence: “A wealthy investor bought the old mansion and restored it.”

What is another word for “wealthy”?

Words with a similar meaning to “wealthy” include bow-legged wi' brass, comfortably off, filthy rich, loaded, minted and moneyed.

What is the opposite of “wealthy”?

The opposite of “wealthy” — its antonyms — are poor and impoverished.

What part of speech is “wealthy”?

Depending on how it is used, “wealthy” can be an adjective and a noun.

Is “wealthy” a common word?

“Wealthy” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “wealthy” have?

“Wealthy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a great deal of money or property; rich.

What is the difference between wealthy and rich?

Both mean having a great deal of money or property, and they are often interchangeable. Wealthy tends to sound slightly more formal and can suggest lasting, substantial assets, while rich is the plainer, more everyday word. In practice the two are very close synonyms.

What is the difference between wealthy and affluent?

Wealthy means having a great deal of money or property. Affluent describes a comfortable, prosperous standard of living and is often applied to areas or groups, as in "an affluent neighbourhood." Someone very wealthy has large assets, while affluent stresses visible, comfortable prosperity.

Is wealthy a formal word?

Wealthy is a neutral to slightly formal adjective suitable for most writing and speech. More casual alternatives include loaded and well-off, while very formal or literary contexts might use moneyed or of means.

Featured in

People also searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial · etymology from Wiktionary