Defining "rich" is usually a numbers game. Is it $400,000 a year in income, or $5 million in net worth? Is $250,000 rich in New York? In Peoria?
But wealth is just a vehicle for greater ends. So when asked about their broader definitions of wealth, a majority of investors surveyed in a recent study by the Spectrem Group said wealth meant "greater security." Ranking a distant second place was "more happiness," followed by "more responsibility" and "more fun." Ranking last was "more stress."
The results, however, differed by age and net worth. Older respondents were far more likely to say that being rich meant security, while younger investors were more likely to associate being rich with happiness and fun.
(Read more: Where Do the Happiest Millionaires Live?)
Older investors were also more likely to say wealth brought more responsibility and a more complicated life.