Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Having a great deal of money or valuable possessions: "Rich" primarily describes a person, family, or entity that possesses substantial wealth.
   • Abundant or plentiful in a desirable quality or substance: "Rich" can describe something that contains a large amount of a valuable component, such as nutrients, flavor, or resources.
   • Having deep, strong, or vivid qualities: "Rich" is used to describe colors, sounds, smells, or flavors that are full, intense, and pleasing.
   • Producing or yielding abundantly: "Rich" describes land, soil, or a source that is highly productive or fertile.

2. Noun:

   • Wealthy people considered as a group: "The rich" refers collectively to people who possess significant wealth.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • She comes from a rich family. (Describing substantial wealth.)
  • This soil is rich in nutrients. (Describing an abundance of a desirable substance.)
  • He has a rich, deep voice. (Describing a full, pleasing sound.)
  • The cake was too rich for my taste. (Describing food that is heavy, sweet, or fatty.)
  • The museum has a rich collection of artifacts. (Describing something of great worth or quality.)

• Noun:

  • The new tax policy affects both the rich and the poor. (Referring to wealthy people as a group.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be rich in": to contain or have a large amount of something valuable.
  • The region is rich in natural resources.
• "rich with": full of or abounding in a particular quality.
  • The novel is rich with historical detail.
• "strike it rich": to suddenly acquire great wealth.
  • They dreamed of moving to the city and striking it rich.

Variants and Related Words

• Richly (adverb): in a rich manner; fully or abundantly.
  • The room was richly decorated.
• Richness (noun): the quality or state of being rich.
  • The richness of the chocolate was overwhelming.
• Enrich (verb): to improve the quality or value of something by adding to it.
  • Fertilizer helps to enrich the soil.

Synonyms

• Wealthy (adj): having a great deal of money, assets, or resources.
• Affluent (adj): having a plentiful supply of money; prosperous.
• Fertile (adj): (of soil or land) producing abundant vegetation or crops.
• Sumptuous (adj): splendid and expensive-looking; rich in appearance.
• Luxuriant (adj): rich and profuse in growth; lush.

Related Phrases

• Filthy rich: (informal) extremely wealthy.
  • The tech entrepreneur became filthy rich after his company went public.
• Rich tapestry: a complex and varied combination of things.
  • The city's history is a rich tapestry of cultures.

Idioms

• That's rich!: used to express that you find a statement, especially a critical one, ironic or hypocritical.
  • He criticized me for being late? That's rich! He's always the last one to arrive.
• Rich beyond one's wildest dreams: possessing more wealth than one could have ever imagined.
  • The lottery winner found herself rich beyond her wildest dreams.

Adjective

1. affording an abundant supply
   • had ample food for the party
   • copious provisions
   • food is plentiful
   • a plenteous grape harvest
   • a rich supply
2. pleasantly full and mellow
   • a rich tenor voice
3. marked by richness and fullness of flavor
   • a rich ruby port
   • full-bodied wines
   • a robust claret
   • the robust flavor of fresh-brewed coffee
4. containing plenty of fat, or eggs, or sugar
   • rich desserts
   • they kept gorging on rich foods
5. suggestive of or characterized by great expense
   • a rich display
6. high in mineral content; having a high proportion of fuel to air
   • a rich vein of copper, a rich gas mixture
7. very productive
   • rich seams of coal
8. strong; intense
   • deep purple
   • a rich red
9. marked by great fruitfulness
   • fertile farmland
   • a fat land
   • a productive vineyard
   • rich soil
10. of great worth or quality
    • a rich collection of antiques
11. having an abundant supply of desirable qualities or substances (especially natural resources)
    • blessed with a land rich in minerals
    • rich in ideas
    • rich with cultural interest
12. possessing material wealth
    • her father is extremely rich
    • many fond hopes are pinned on rich uncles

Noun

1. people who have possessions and wealth (considered as a group)
   • only the very rich benefit from this legislation