Croesus
/ˈkriːsəs/noun
A fabulously rich person; originally the name of the last king of Lydia.
Did you know?Croesus became a byword for wealth in antiquity, and his name entered English through classical literature as a symbol of unimaginable riches.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Κροῖσος
“Croesus, the last king of Lydia, famed for extreme wealth”
Latin
Latin
Croesus
“The historical king Croesus, preserved in Roman historical writing”
Middle English
English
Croesus
“A reference to the wealthy Lydian king in learned and literary contexts”
Modern English
English
Croesus
“A very rich person”