riches

Meaning

Noun

• Money, goods, wealth, treasure.
• An abundance of anything desirable.

Origin

• From Middle English riches, plural of riche, from Old English rīċe ("power, authority, dominion"). Confused with Middle English richesse ("wealth"), from Old French richesse, from riche, of Germanic origin, from Frankish *rīki from Proto-Germanic *rīkijaz ("rich, powerful"), from Proto-Indo-European *reg- ("to straighten, direct, make right"). Akin to Old High German rīhhi ("rich") (German reich ("rich")), Old English rīċe ("rich"), Old English racu ("explanation, reasoning"). More at rich.