• IPA: /ɹɪt͡ʃɪz/

From Middle English richesse, plural of riche ("power, wealth"), from Old English rīċe.

riches (plural p)

1. Money, goods, wealth, treasure.
   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene ii], page 12 ↗:

     Cal. […] Sometimes a thouſand twangling Inſtruments
     Will hum about mine eares ; and ſometime voices,
     That if I then had wak'd after long ſleepe,
     Will make me ſleepe againe, and then in dreaming,
     The clouds methought would open, and ſhew riches
     Ready to drop vpon me, that when I wak'd
     I cri'de to dreame againe.

2. (figurative) An abundance of anything desirable.

   You will enjoy the riches of this forest.

• See also Thesaurus:wealth

• rich

• German: Reichtümer
• Russian: бога́тство
• Spanish: riqueza

From rich + -es by analogy with poors.

riches (plural p)

1. (rare, nonstandard) Rich people.

   Synonyms: wealthies

   Antonyms: poors

From Rich, a diminutive of Richard + the patronymic suffix -s.

1. Surname.