How was the term "filthy rich" coined?
by 
Indigo- in the library with the revolver
ANSWERS: 4
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Perhaps derived from the concept of "dirty money?" or ill-gotten gains?
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G'day Indigo, Thank you for your question. The term evolved from the term filthy lucre used since the 16th century. William Tindale was the first to use that phrase in "Teachinge thinges which they ought not, because of filthy lucre." From there, money was known as the filthy. The phrase filthy rich was first used in the US to describe people who had gotten rich by dishonourable means such as gangsters. I have attached sources for your reference. Regards References Phrases.org http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/filthy-rich.html The Answerbank http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Phrases-and-Sayings/Question369502.html
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Perhaps from the filthy Texan oilmongers.
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filthy lucre Money; originally, money obtained dishonestly. For example, She didn't like the job but loved the filthy lucre in the form of her weekly paycheck. This term comes from the Bible (Titus 1:11), where it refers to those who teach wrongly for the sake of money. In time it came to be used loosely, and usually jokingly, for money in general, and in the mid-1900s gave rise to the jocular slang term the filthy for "money." Although both versions may be dying out, the expression filthy rich, for "extremely wealthy," survives. http://www.answers.com/topic/filthy-rich
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