wealth English · revision 4859

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1250|origins=en weal, en -th}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /welθ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|welthe]], formed from Middle English wele “well-being”, the source of [[weal]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) or from [[well]],^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) with the noun suffix [[-th]], on the pattern of [[health]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The condition of being happy and prosperous, well-being, and also riches: about 1250 in the OED and Barnhart, in Genesis and Exodus;^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) the mid-12th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) It was contrasted with woe and care.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old sense of happiness or well-being is now obsolete.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Spiritual well-being is from about 1400,^(OED 1989) and the welfare of a community from 1390,^(OED 1989) the sense kept in [[commonwealth]].^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) Prosperity in the form of possessions, the modern sense, is also from about 1250,^(OED 1989) and rich and costly goods from 1352.^(OED 1989) A plenty or abundance of anything, as in ''a wealth of detail'', is by the 1590s.^(Etymonline) ''The wealth of nations'' is found in Dryden (1666), and Adam Smith's book is from 1776.^(Etymonline) ''Wealthy'' first meant happy and prosperous (about 1375), and rich before 1430.^(Barnhart 1988) In Scots, walth means abundance.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1250 – well-being; riches.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1352 – costly goods.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1375 – ''wealthy''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1390 – the welfare of a community.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1590s – an abundance of anything.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1776 – The Wealth of Nations.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A large amount of [[money]], [[property]] or possessions; riches.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The state of being rich.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # All the goods and resources of a person or country that have value.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A great amount or number: ''a wealth of information''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[wealthless]]

+ * [[commonwealth]]

+ * [[overwealth]]

+ * [[wealthy]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[weal]]

+ * [[well]]

+ * [[health]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}