old money

1 of 2

noun

: people whose families have been rich for a long time
He comes from old money.

old money

2 of 2

adjective

: of, being, or related to people whose families have been rich for a long time
an old money family/neighborhood

Examples of old money in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Her friends, likewise, discover that however snooty American old money might be (as seen concurrently on the second season of HBO’s The Gilded Age), the pretensions and perils of the British upper class are on another level entirely. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Nov. 2023 Katherine comes from old money, while Josh is still getting used to how the stuff smells. Peter Debruge, Variety, 3 Nov. 2023 While providing food or food vouchers can be useful, research suggests plain old money is the most effective in getting people to eat diverse and high-calorie meals. Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2023 The old money characters value family history, and those of the lower class have difficulty moving up. Isiah Magsino, Town & Country, 3 Sep. 2023 Advertisers responded, and locals — from old money types to the newly flush — opened their showplaces to the editors. Penelope Green, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023 In the fall of 2018, Leonard Leo, the powerful leader of the conservative legal group the Federalist Society, bought a lavish $3.3-million waterfront estate in Northeast Harbor, Maine, on Mount Desert Island, an area famous for its staggering beauty and equally staggering old money. Jane Mayer, The New Yorker, 20 July 2023 One of the things she's known for is being an it-girl with a signature 'old money' sense of style. Briannah Rivera, Seventeen, 29 June 2023 But, this summer, the trending old money aesthetic might have its place in the world-famous summer destination. Isiah Magsino, Town & Country, 6 June 2023
Adjective
Looks that celebrate vintage or heritage items are also increasingly popular—just look to newstalgia, the old money aesthetic, and the apothecary aesthetic (to name a few) for proof that this old-is-new approach to decor is having a major moment. Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'old money.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Old money.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/old%20money. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

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