Wealth
/wɛlθ/
nounB2
Definition
Wealth is the amount of valuable things someone owns, especially money and property. It can also mean having many useful resources or advantages. People often use "wealth" to talk about being rich or having more than enough to live comfortably.
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See It in Action
Large amount of money and valuable possessions
- •He inherited great wealth from his family.
- •The country’s wealth comes from its natural resources.
- •She used her wealth to help others in need.
A large amount of useful resources or qualities
- •The region has a wealth of natural beauty.
- •There is a wealth of information available online.
- •Their wealth of experience helped them solve the problem.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "wealth" like "money" (A1 word), but much bigger and includes not just cash, also things like houses, land, or valuable items
- ✓Picture a big treasure chest full of gold coins, jewelry, and important papers showing ownership of land or buildings
- ✓It's the feeling of safety and freedom when you have enough money to buy what you need and want without worry
- ✓Sounds like "well-th" → imagine a deep well full of shining gold coins, always full and never empty
- ✓Remember stories of kings and queens with castles and riches, showing great wealth and power
- ✓NOT like "money" (just cash or coins), wealth is all valuable things combined, like money plus property plus investments
- ✓NOT like "poor" (having little or no money), wealth means having much more than enough
- ✓NOT like "income" (money earned regularly), wealth is what you own and keep over time, not just what you get each month
Try Other Words
- •Riches: valuable things and money (Use when emphasizing valuable objects or treasures)
- •Fortune: a large amount of money (Use when talking about very large sums, often inherited or earned)
- •Assets: things owned that have value (Use in business or financial contexts)
- •Resources: useful things or qualities (Use when talking about non-money advantages, like skills or information)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "wealth" is a single root word with no prefix or suffix
- •Etymology: from Old English "weal" meaning well-being or welfare, related to being well or prosperous
- •Historical development: originally meant well-being or happiness, later focused on material riches and money
- •Modern usage: mostly means money, valuable things, or resources someone has, often used in economics and everyday life
Reflect & Connect
•How does having wealth change a person's choices and opportunities in life?
•Can someone be wealthy without having a lot of money? How?
Fill in the blanks
1.People work hard to build wealth so they can ___ a comfortable life.
2.The country’s wealth comes mostly ___ natural resources like oil and minerals.
3.Unlike income, wealth is what you ___ over a long time, not just what you earn each month.
4.A wealth of experience can help you solve problems that money alone cannot ___.
5.She used her wealth ___ donate to charity and support education.
6.Someone with wealth usually has more ___ than someone who is poor.
7.The family’s wealth includes money, land, and other valuable ___.