Affluent

Full Definition of AFFLUENT

1

: flowing in abundance <affluent streams> <affluent creativity>

2

: having a generously sufficient and typically increasing supply of material possessions <our affluent society>

— af·flu·ent·ly adverb

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Examples of AFFLUENT

The store catered to a mostly affluent clientele that was relatively price insensitive, so we could afford to pay our suppliers a premium for the very best fish. The shop also developed a significant wholesale business, and soon the great and the good of London gastronomy were flocking to our door. —Frances Percival, Saveur, March 2008
A recent crop of books and articles give voice to this complaint. They happen to be written by journalists who are also well-educated and affluent mothers, but when it comes to parental discontent they are not alone. —Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, Commonweal, 16 June 2006
The Bay Area, which encompasses the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, as well as surrounding areas, is one of the nation's most affluent regions: More than 40% of the area's residents have annual household income of at least $75,000, versus only 25% in the country's other top 50 markets, according to Scarborough Research. —Eileen Davis Hudson et al., Editor & Publisher, 1 Oct. 2001
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Origin of AFFLUENT

Middle English, from Latin affluent-, affluens, present participle of affluere to flow to, flow abundantly, from ad- + fluere to flow — more at fluid

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to AFFLUENT

Synonyms: rich, deep-pocketed, fat, fat-cat, flush, loaded, moneyed (also monied), opulent, silk-stocking, wealthy, well-endowed, well-fixed, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do

Antonyms: destitute, impecunious, impoverished, indigent, needy, penniless, penurious, poor, poverty-stricken

Synonym Discussion of AFFLUENT

rich, wealthy, affluent, opulent mean having goods, property, and money in abundance. rich implies having more than enough to gratify normal needs or desires <became rich through shrewd investing>. wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things <wealthy landowners>. affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth <an affluent society>. opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people <an opulent mansion>.