affluence
AF-loo-uhnss
/ˈæf.lu.əns/
The state of having a great deal of money; wealth.
Refers to a comfortable, abundant flow of material prosperity, usually affecting entire communities or social classes.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'affluentia' (abundance, flowing toward), combining 'ad-' (to, toward) and 'fluere' (to flow). Wealth was viewed metaphorically as a river flowing smoothly toward a fortunate person.
Word relationships
- prosperity: Prosperity includes broader well-being and economic health, whereas affluence focuses specifically on abundant financial wealth.
- opulence: Opulence highlights grand display and luxury, while affluence refers to the baseline possession of great wealth.
- penury: Penury means extreme poverty or destitution.
- poverty: Poverty is the state of lacking basic material resources.
Commonly confused with
- effluence: Affluence means wealth flowing in; effluence means liquid waste flowing out.
Word family
- affluent (adjective): Having a great deal of money; wealthy.
Collocations
- growing affluence
- unprecedented affluence
- sign of affluence
- trappings of affluence
Example sentences
- "The rapid growth of the post-war suburbs was a visible symbol of rising middle-class affluence." Sociological Analysis
Memory hook
AFFLUENT wealth FLOWS in like a fluent river. A steady flow of wealth.
When not to use
Do not use to describe a sudden cash windfall; affluence describes an established state of abundant wealth.
Fun facts
- Economist John Kenneth Galbraith popularized the term 'The Affluent Society' in his famous 1958 book critique.
Related words
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