new moneyn.adj.
/njuː ˈmʌni/, U.S. /ˈn(j)u ˈməni/ A. n.
1. People who have recently acquired wealth (esp. non-inherited wealth), regarded as a class; the nouveau riche.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > wealth > [noun] > rich or wealthy person > newly rich person > collectively
new rich1798
new money1875
nouveaux arrivés1899
1875 A. Trollope Way we live Now I. vi. 34 The Hepworths, who could boast good blood enough on their own side, had married into new money.
1967 M. Procter Exercise Hoodwink xvii. 119 He moves with a pricey crowd, though I wouldn't call 'em classy. Small business people. New money.
1986 S. Churcher N.Y. Confidential i. 9 The class system, by their account, breaks down into (1) Old Money, (2) New Money, and (3) the peasantry.
1992 Economist 18 Jan. 18/3 The New England part of him [sc. Mr Bush] must have found the Reaganauts meretricious, flashy, the epitome of new money.
2. Wealth that has been acquired recently, esp. wealth which a person has earned rather than inherited. Cf. old money adj. and n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > wealth > wealth or riches > [noun] > recently acquired
new money1897
1897 P. Geddes Let. 10 Feb. in P. Boardman Worlds of P. Geddes (1978) vi. 155 New money = new crime = new report..= new police and so on, in downward spiral.
1952 K. Vonnegut in Collier's 19 Jan. 46/2 ‘How did Mr. Hurty make his money?’ ‘He's the biggest used-car dealer in this part of the state.’ ‘Aha!..I knew it! The whole place had the air of new money about it.’
1990 Punch 27 July 16/3 And then came the new men with new money, swiftly assembled from fringe banking, commodities..the City.
B. adj.
Possessing or characteristic of new money.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > wealth > [adjective] > newly rich
new rich1857
nouveau riche1874
nouveau1955
new money1986
1986 S. Churcher N.Y. Confidential i. 11 A number of the new-money ladies, taking the bluebloods at their word on style, have been seeking to underspend them.
2000 N.Y. Mag. 3 Apr. 15 Teaching new-money networkers the dos and don'ts of dining out.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1875