rich
♦♦ rich /r'ɪtʃ/ (richer richest riches)
1 [ADJ]
A rich person has a lot of money or valuable possessions.
Their one aim in life is to get rich...
≠ poor
[N-PLURAL] the N
The rich are rich people.
This is a system in which the rich are cared for and the poor are left to suffer...
2 [N-PLURAL]
Riches are valuable possessions or large amounts of money.
An Olympic gold medal can lead to untold riches for an athlete...
3 [ADJ]
A rich country has a strong economy and produces a lot of wealth, so many people who live there have a high standard of living.
There is hunger in many parts of the world, even in rich countries.
≠ poor
4 [N-PLURAL] usu supp N
If you talk about the earth's riches, you are referring to things that exist naturally in large quantities and that are useful and valuable, for example minerals, wood, and oil.
...Russia's vast natural riches.
5 [ADJ] v-link ADJ in n, ADJ n
If something is rich in a useful or valuable substance or is a rich source of it, it contains a lot of it.
Liver and kidney are particularly rich in vitamin A...
6 [ADJ]
Rich food contains a lot of fat or oil.
Additional cream would make it too rich.
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
The coffee flavour complemented the richness of the pudding.
7 [ADJ]
Rich soil contains large amounts of substances that make it good for growing crops or flowers in.
Farmers grow rice in the rich soil.
≠ poor
8 [ADJ]
A rich deposit of a mineral or other substance is a large amount of it.
...the country's rich deposits of the metal, lithium.
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
...the richness of the country's mineral deposits.
9 [ADJ] ADJ n
If you say that something is a rich vein or source of something such as humour, ideas, or information, you mean that it can provide a lot of that thing.
The director discovered a rich vein of sentimentality...
10 [ADJ]
Rich smells are strong and very pleasant. Rich colours and sounds are deep and very pleasant.
...a rich and luxuriously perfumed bath essence.
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
...the richness of colour in Gauguin's paintings.
11 [ADJ]
A rich life or history is one that is interesting because it is full of different events and activities.
A rich and varied cultural life is essential for this couple.
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
It all adds to the richness of human life.
12 [ADJ]
A rich collection or mixture contains a wide and interesting variety of different things.
Visitors can view a rich and colorful array of aquatic plants and animals...
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
...a huge country, containing a richness of culture and diversity of landscape.
13 [ADJ] v-link ADJ
If you say that something a person says or does is rich, you are making fun of it because you think it is a surprising and inappropriate thing for them to say or do. (INFORMAL)
Gil says that women can't keep secrets. That's rich, coming from him, the professional sneak.
14 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR n
If you say that someone is filthy rich or stinking rich, you disapprove of them because they have a lot of money. (INFORMAL)
He's stinking rich, and with no more talent than he ever had before.
= loaded
1 [ADJ]
A rich person has a lot of money or valuable possessions.
Their one aim in life is to get rich...
≠ poor
[N-PLURAL] the N
The rich are rich people.
This is a system in which the rich are cared for and the poor are left to suffer...
2 [N-PLURAL]
Riches are valuable possessions or large amounts of money.
An Olympic gold medal can lead to untold riches for an athlete...
3 [ADJ]
A rich country has a strong economy and produces a lot of wealth, so many people who live there have a high standard of living.
There is hunger in many parts of the world, even in rich countries.
≠ poor
4 [N-PLURAL] usu supp N
If you talk about the earth's riches, you are referring to things that exist naturally in large quantities and that are useful and valuable, for example minerals, wood, and oil.
...Russia's vast natural riches.
5 [ADJ] v-link ADJ in n, ADJ n
If something is rich in a useful or valuable substance or is a rich source of it, it contains a lot of it.
Liver and kidney are particularly rich in vitamin A...
6 [ADJ]
Rich food contains a lot of fat or oil.
Additional cream would make it too rich.
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
The coffee flavour complemented the richness of the pudding.
7 [ADJ]
Rich soil contains large amounts of substances that make it good for growing crops or flowers in.
Farmers grow rice in the rich soil.
≠ poor
8 [ADJ]
A rich deposit of a mineral or other substance is a large amount of it.
...the country's rich deposits of the metal, lithium.
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
...the richness of the country's mineral deposits.
9 [ADJ] ADJ n
If you say that something is a rich vein or source of something such as humour, ideas, or information, you mean that it can provide a lot of that thing.
The director discovered a rich vein of sentimentality...
10 [ADJ]
Rich smells are strong and very pleasant. Rich colours and sounds are deep and very pleasant.
...a rich and luxuriously perfumed bath essence.
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
...the richness of colour in Gauguin's paintings.
11 [ADJ]
A rich life or history is one that is interesting because it is full of different events and activities.
A rich and varied cultural life is essential for this couple.
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
It all adds to the richness of human life.
12 [ADJ]
A rich collection or mixture contains a wide and interesting variety of different things.
Visitors can view a rich and colorful array of aquatic plants and animals...
● richness [N-UNCOUNT]
...a huge country, containing a richness of culture and diversity of landscape.
13 [ADJ] v-link ADJ
If you say that something a person says or does is rich, you are making fun of it because you think it is a surprising and inappropriate thing for them to say or do. (INFORMAL)
Gil says that women can't keep secrets. That's rich, coming from him, the professional sneak.
14 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR n
If you say that someone is filthy rich or stinking rich, you disapprove of them because they have a lot of money. (INFORMAL)
He's stinking rich, and with no more talent than he ever had before.
= loaded