wealth
/wɛlθ/
noun
Origin
Old English
wela — well-being, prosperity, happiness
Overview
Meaning Now
- An abundance of valuable possessions or money; riches.
- The state of being prosperous or having a high net worth.
- A plentiful supply of a particular desirable thing.
Literal older meaning
well-being, prosperity
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
wela
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word originally described a state of general well-being or happiness. Over time, particularly during the late medieval period, it shifted to specifically denote material abundance, mirroring the way society prioritized financial prosperity.
Evolution
- Old English
wela
“prosperity, happiness”
- Middle English
wele
“happiness, prosperity, worldly goods”
Transitioning to refer more to material possessions.
- Late Middle English
welthe
“riches, abundance”
Suffix '-th' added on analogy with health and length.
Connections
Word parts
wel-
root
well, good
-th
suffix
suffix forming abstract nouns
Related across languages
German
Wohl
well-being
Dutch
wel
well
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Related to wealth
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.