rich

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | 700+ words | Copyright

rich †powerful, great; having abundant means OE.; costly, splendid, sumptuous XII; various transf. and fig. uses from XIII. OE. rīce = OS. rīki, OHG. rīchi (Du. rijk, G. reich), ON. ríkr, Goth. reiks; CGmc. — Celt. rīx (Ir. rí) = L. rēx king; reinforced in ME. by (O)F. riche orig. powerful, of Gmc. orig. From the same Gmc. stem are OE. rīċe = OS. rīki, MLG., MDu. rīke (Du. rijk), OHG. rīhhi (G. reich), ON. rīki, Goth. reiki kingdom, royal power, surviving in bishopric.
So riches abundance of means XIII. var. (simulating Eng. pls. in -es) of †richesse, †richeise (XII) — OF. richeise, -esce (mod. -esse); f. riche + -eise, -esse -ESS2.

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T. F. HOAD. "rich." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "rich." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rich.html

T. F. HOAD. "rich." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rich.html

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