riches
Americanplural noun
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of riches
1175–1225; Middle English, plural of Middle English riche wealth, power ( Old English rīce power, rule; cognate with German Reich realm); confused with Middle English richesse wealth < Old French, equivalent to riche wealthy (< Germanic; see rich) + -esse -ess
Explanation
Use the word riches when you're talking about wealth, including money, treasures, and expensive belongings. Most people who buy lottery tickets dream of winning riches. Occasionally, someone who's born into poverty will grow up to earn riches through hard work and a lot of luck — but more often, people inherit their riches from wealthy relatives. You can also use riches in a figurative way, for something bountiful or profuse: "Let's go to the farmers market and see what riches are available!" Riches was originally richesse, a singular word that was misinterpreted as being plural.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It's another to resist the lure of guaranteed success and riches to instead drag your boyhood side to glory.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
He and his staff talk about the prospect of AI riches, sharing stories of teenagers who got into elite universities, but barely stayed through orientation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
"Lebanon is full of archaeological riches... and the Beirut depots do not have the capacity to accommodate all these threatened objects," said David Sassine, an expert at the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage.
From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026
Some people will argue that it’s unfair he will likely get wiped away from the public sphere while other predatory men from the past and present largely maintain their riches and reputations.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
She said, “Bless her heart. I guess you can never say what riches people contain.”
From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
