filthy rich

F

filthy rich

Meaning

  • extremely rich.
  • someone who is rich beyond measure.
  • often refers to someone who has become rich by using unfair means.

Example Sentences

  1. To be filthy rich means that you can choose and buy whatever you want; window shopping is for the less fortunate.
  2. His father is filthy rich, so obviously he is not worried about choosing the right university.
  3. Everyone is not able to get filthy rich like you; some people have to work hard for even mediocre success.

Origin

The contemporary use of the term “filthy rich” is generally attributed to its inception in the United States in the 1920s. However, one can trace its etymological roots back to equivalent phrases like ‘filthy lucre.’

Several derivations of “filthy rich” have emerged over time. “Filthy stinking rich,” a variation, carries a stronger negative connotation and is often used to insinuate the corrupt or immoral nature of an individual’s wealth.

On a less disparaging note, the term “filthy loaded” serves as another alternative. This iteration of the phrase is often used in a lighter context. It carries a less harsh critique of the individual’s wealth.

Filthy Rich first appeared in print in an Ohio newspaper, The Lima News, published in February 1929. The article criticized the exploitative, get-rich-quick attitudes prevalent during the economic crash. Some were benefiting from those who had to sell their homes at desperate prices.

Earlier influences on this idiom can be traced back to the Latin word ‘lucrum,’ meaning “gain,” and the related term “filthy lucre,” found in the Bible (1 Timothy 3:8).

In and around the 1400s, the word lucre meant money or riches, but pointed to it negatively. The filthy part of this expression points out something that has been done unduly. At the time, “foul or filthy lucre” was popular, which eventually changed to “filthy rich.”

The phrase ‘filthy lucre’ has been used since the 16th century to describe money gained through dishonorable means. But the phrase “filthy rich” turned this concept into a concise, biting critique of excessive and often unjust wealth. In 1526, William Tindale used it in his work.

The usage and interpretations of the idiom “filthy rich” have undergone significant transformation over time. In the early 1900s, it grew in popularity and started encapsulating a wider variety of meanings. It began to allude not just to wealth amassed through dubious means but also to the sheer scale of an individual’s fortune. And it is no longer used in just a negative way; it could be referring to the magnitude of richness too.

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