I'm so privileged I thought everyone thought rich was the same thing I thought it was? Pretty much.
But really, if you have to ask the question "Am I rich?" you're rich. Poor people, or even moderate-income individuals do not ask that question generally.
When you know you could potentially spend an excessive amount of money on say, something like a top of the line brand new car without planning to do so and will be fine afterwards, you're rich.
Actually, you're right in your last comment because my perception is not the same. I believe the terms "rich" and "wealthy" which are two different things. Rich is what the person is who wins the multi-million dollar lottery (and this money can easily be lost/spent), "wealthy" is man who doesn't need to ever work because his money pretty much self-sustaining, either through investments, property, business, etc; in other words, there is money enough for them- the individual is worth a lot, ergo, there is no real need for them to actively gain more wealth, nor can this wealth be easily lost.
Just for giggles, MW says:
Main Entry: rich Listen to the pronunciation of rich Pronunciation: \ˈrich\ Function: adjective Etymology: Middle English riche, from Old English rīce; akin to Old High German rīhhi rich, Old English rīce kingdom, Old High German rīhhi, noun; all from prehistoric Germanic words borrowed from Celtic words akin to Old Irish rí (genitive ríg) king — more at royal Date: before 12th century
1: having abundant possessions and especially material wealth
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Main Entry: wealth Listen to the pronunciation of wealth Pronunciation: \ˈwelth also ˈweltth\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English welthe, from wele weal Date: 13th century
1obsolete : weal welfare2: abundance of valuable material possessions or resources3: abundant supply : profusion4 a: all property that has a money value or an exchangeable value b: all material objects that have economic utility; especially : the stock of useful goods having economic value in existence at any one time
no subject
Pretty much.
But really, if you have to ask the question "Am I rich?" you're rich. Poor people, or even moderate-income individuals do not ask that question generally.
When you know you could potentially spend an excessive amount of money on say, something like a top of the line brand new car without planning to do so and will be fine afterwards, you're rich.
Actually, you're right in your last comment because my perception is not the same. I believe the terms "rich" and "wealthy" which are two different things. Rich is what the person is who wins the multi-million dollar lottery (and this money can easily be lost/spent), "wealthy" is man who doesn't need to ever work because his money pretty much self-sustaining, either through investments, property, business, etc; in other words, there is money enough for them- the individual is worth a lot, ergo, there is no real need for them to actively gain more wealth, nor can this wealth be easily lost.
Just for giggles, MW says:
Main Entry:
rich Listen to the pronunciation of rich
Pronunciation:
\ˈrich\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle English riche, from Old English rīce; akin to Old High German rīhhi rich, Old English rīce kingdom, Old High German rīhhi, noun; all from prehistoric Germanic words borrowed from Celtic words akin to Old Irish rí (genitive ríg) king — more at royal
Date:
before 12th century
1: having abundant possessions and especially material wealth
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Main Entry:
wealth Listen to the pronunciation of wealth
Pronunciation:
\ˈwelth also ˈweltth\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English welthe, from wele weal
Date:
13th century
1obsolete : weal welfare2: abundance of valuable material possessions or resources3: abundant supply : profusion4 a: all property that has a money value or an exchangeable value b: all material objects that have economic utility; especially : the stock of useful goods having economic value in existence at any one time