wealth
C1Formal & Neutral
Definition
Meaning
An abundance of valuable possessions or money; a large amount of money and property.
An abundance, profusion, or great quantity of something desirable or valuable (e.g., a wealth of information).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a non-count noun ('great wealth'). Can be used countably ('a wealth of...') to indicate a large quantity. Often used in socio-economic and moral contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. Both use 'wealth tax' and 'wealth management'.
Connotations
Similar connotations of financial/material abundance and economic power in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[possessive] + wealtha wealth of + [noun phrase]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A wealth of...”
- “From rags to riches”
- “New wealth”
- “Old money”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to financial capital, assets, and net worth. 'Wealth management' is a key sector.
Academic
Used in economics (national wealth), sociology (wealth distribution), and history.
Everyday
Used to describe rich individuals or families, or a large amount of something non-material.
Technical
In finance, quantifiable as net assets (assets minus liabilities).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- 'Wealth' is not used as a verb.
American English
- 'Wealth' is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Wealthily (They live wealthily).
American English
- Wealthily (The estate was wealthily endowed).
adjective
British English
- Wealthy (He comes from a wealthy family).
American English
- Wealthy (She is a wealthy entrepreneur).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He has a lot of money and wealth.
- The king had great wealth.
- Her family's wealth comes from property.
- The book provides a wealth of useful tips.
- The new tax policy aims to redistribute wealth more fairly.
- They accumulated considerable wealth through wise investments.
- The study analyzed the correlation between inherited wealth and social mobility.
- His argument was supported by a wealth of empirical data.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'WELL + HEALTH' – traditionally, having wealth meant living well and in good health.
Conceptual Metaphor
WEALTH IS A LIQUID (flow of capital, pool of resources, drain on wealth).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating 'богатство' in contexts where 'richness' (of culture/color) is better. 'Wealth' strongly implies material/economic value.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'a wealth' without 'of' (INCORRECT: 'He has a wealth information.' CORRECT: 'He has a wealth of information.').
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase uses 'wealth' CORRECTLY in its countable sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily uncountable ('great wealth'). It becomes functionally countable in the phrase 'a wealth of...' meaning 'a large amount of.'
'Wealth' is more formal and abstract, often referring to the state of being rich. 'Riches' is more literary and often refers to valuable possessions themselves.
Yes, it is commonly used metaphorically (e.g., 'a wealth of knowledge,' 'a wealth of talent') to mean a large and valuable amount.
It is a professional service combining financial planning, investment portfolio management, and other strategies to grow and protect a client's assets.
Collections
Part of a collection
Economics Terms
B2 · 50 words · Key vocabulary for economics and financial systems.