richness

British  

/ ˈrɪtʃˌnɪs /

noun

1. the state or quality of being rich

2. ecology the number of individuals of a species in a given area

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Explanation

Richness is a quality or characteristic, either of having a lot of money or of being plentiful. The richness of exotic bird life in Hawaii may be much more appealing to you than the richness of your wealthy neighbors. When you use the noun richness to talk about an abundance of something, you're emphasizing how luxurious or bountiful it is. And if you mention the richness of a meal or a dessert, you're talking about its delicious, fatty, and filling nature: "The richness of this chocolate mousse is off the charts!" Sometimes richness also means "intensity," as in the richness of the deep blue sky.

Example Sentences

Higher concentrations of nitrogen were consistently associated with reductions in animal abundance and species richness.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

"I think it possibly hangs on what used to be called media richness theory," he says.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

This time the movie would have a symphonic scope and richness featuring music in many scenes, not just one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

I’ve done it with apples — layering applesauce, apple butter and roasted fruit into a cake that tastes like fall — and with egg salad, where richness builds from every direction.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

It still had the southern richness of tone, but it had become suddenly more clear cut and incisive.

From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie

Related Words

• abundance