Etymologically
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wealthy

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 12:39. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈwɛl.θi/[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English welthi, formed from wealth and -y.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Possessing well-being, happy, prosperous: about 1375 in the OED, about 1400 in Etymonline.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense, happy and comfortable, followed wealth's old meaning of well-being, and it lasted to the mid-16th century.[4][5] Of persons, rich, it is from before 1430,[5] the early 15th century in Etymonline,[2] and of countries, prosperous, from about 1460.[5] The figurative rich in some advantage is from 1601.[5] In dialect, of cattle, well-fed is from 1829.[5] Earlier words were weleful, prosperous (about 1200), and wealthful (early 14th century).[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1375 – happy, prosperous.[5]
  • before 1430 – rich.[5]
  • c. 1460 – of a country, flourishing.[5]
  • 1601 – rich in some advantage.[5]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Having much money or property; rich, affluent.
  2. Plentifully supplied: wealthy in friends.

Noun

  1. (the wealthy) Rich people as a group.

Word family

  • wealthily
  • wealthiness
  • overwealthy
  • superwealthy
  • unwealthy

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press