Richness

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɪt͡ʃnəs/

Definitions

1. The quality or state of having abundant resources, deep complexity, or intense flavor and texture
2. The state of having an ample supply of valuable characteristics, deep complexity, or pronounced intensity in various realms
3. The condition of possessing a great abundance of diverse qualities, complex characteristics, or notable intensity in different contexts

Etymology: "Richness" is a plain English formation: the adjective "rich" with the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or state. The suffix itself is Old English in origin, and it was attached freely to native adjectives for centuries, so "richness" needed no special invention to appear. The adjective "rich" has the older and more interesting story. It goes back to Old English "rīce," meaning powerful, mighty, or having authority, and the sense of wealth came later. Its Middle English form "riche" was often used of people with power or princely status before it settled on money and goods. Richness, in turn, carried over the same range of meanings: material wealth first, then the fuller sense of abundance and depth that the modern definition describes, applied to soil, flavour, sound, and complexity.

Synonyms: wealth, abundance, luxury, opulence, profusion

Antonyms: poverty, emptiness, lack