riches
UK[ˈrɪtʃɪz]US[ˈrɪtʃɪz]
plural noun
A large amount of money and valuable material possessions.
plural noun
Valuable natural resources or assets.
plural noun
Things that make someone or something rich, such as abundant qualities or resources.
Etymology
The journey of 'riches' begins with the concept of rulership. Its ultimate ancestor is the Proto-Indo-European word for 'king'. This concept passed into Proto-Celtic and was then borrowed into early Germanic languages, where it evolved to mean 'powerful' and, by extension, 'wealthy'. In Old English, the adjective 'rīċe' (powerful, wealthy) also gave rise to a now-obsolete singular noun 'rich', meaning 'a wealthy person' or 'wealth'. The modern word 'riches' is the direct plural form of this obsolete noun, preserving the original link between sovereign power and abundant possessions. Thus, what began as a term for a ruler transformed into a term for the material abundance that power commands.
Analysis
The word 'riches' is a plural noun derived from the singular noun 'rich', which in this context is an archaic noun meaning 'wealth'. The '-es' is a standard English plural suffix. The root 'rich' originates from Old English 'rīċe' (powerful, wealthy), from Proto-Germanic 'rīkijaz', itself a borrowing from Proto-Celtic 'rīgos' (king), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European 'h₃rḗǵs' (king, ruler).
Examples
He went to the New World dreaming of finding untold riches.
The country's natural riches include vast forests and mineral deposits.
The true riches of life are found in friendship and experience, not in money.