affluence

noun

af·​flu·​ence ˈa-(ˌ)flü-ən(t)s 

also

a-ˈflü- 

 or  ə-

1

a

: abundance of property : wealth

rose from poverty to affluence

b

: an abundant flow or supply : profusion

… to attain that breadth and height, that wealth of muscle, that affluence of flesh.

—Charlotte Brontë

2

: a flowing to or toward a point : influx

Did you know?

What is the origin of affluence?

Affluence comes from the Latin verb affluere, "to flow abundantly". Thus, someone or something blessed with affluence has received an incoming flood of riches. Since the affluent residents of suburbs often work in the central city but pay taxes back home, the wealth of some metropolitan areas tends to flow in one direction—out.

Synonyms

• influx

Examples of affluence in a Sentence

this affluence of new students is straining an already crowded school system

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet America’s system is transactional, rewarding affluence while neglecting the very conditions that produce disease. —Stan Chu Ilo, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025

That population has also seen a rise in affluence, making a high median household income of more than $151,000 in 2023, compared with just a median of over $105,000 for Asian American households overall, according to Pew. —Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2025

Where affluence meets artistry, and tradition marries transformation—consider this your passport to the planet’s most prosperous places. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

The wealthiest suburbs of America's biggest cities New York’s wealthiest suburb is Scarsdale, a name long linked to affluence. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "abundance, profusion," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin affluentia, noun derivative of affluent-, affluens affluent entry 1 — more at -ence

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

affluence

noun

af·​flu·​ence ˈaf-ˌlü-ən(t)s 

also

a-ˈflü- 

ə-ˈflü-

: the state of having much wealth or property