Affluence comes from the Latin verb affluere, "to flow abundantly". Thus, someone or something blessed with affluence has received an incoming flood of riches. Since the affluent residents of suburbs often work in the central city but pay taxes back home, the wealth of some metropolitan areas tends to flow in one direction—out.
this affluence of new students is straining an already crowded school system
Recent Examples on the WebIt’s about the image of affluence, not the cultural baggage. Kareem Rashed, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2022 Released on June 28, 1992, what made Boomerang most special was not its comedic genius, but Murphy and Hudlin’s portrayal of African Americans of affluence. Okla Jones, Essence, 28 June 2022 The city expanded west right at the time that wall-to-wall carpeting became a symbol of affluence, refinement and taste. Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2022 What undid Horn & Hardart were the trends that transformed America in the years after World War II: suburbanization, growing affluence, inflation. Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 12 May 2022 At least one forthcoming business has been staked in explicitly by the affluence of the neighborhood. Lysandra Ohrstrom, Curbed, 30 Nov. 2021 For one thing, the investment can be regarded as a new way for public figures to flaunt their social status and affluence. Gary Fowler, Forbes, 17 June 2022 Might those subjects, which have a lot to do with status and comparison and affluence, feed ways of thinking that are disempowering? David Marchese, New York Times, 20 May 2022 Being an Asplundh certainly is no guarantee of affluence. Matt Durot, Forbes, 4 June 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, "abundance, profusion," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin affluentia, noun derivative of affluent-, affluensaffluent entry 1 — more at -ence