In such structures as the wealthy (wealthy people), the ignorant the kind. the wicked. etc. the adjective is partially converted to noun status in that it is syntactically in a position.. characteristic of nouns rather than adjective. But that is not full conversion because one cannot say:” saw two wealthiest”, nor can one say:I saw a wealthyI n s u c h s t r u c t u r e s a s t h e wealthy(wealthy people), the ignorant, the kind, the wicked, etc., the adjective is partially converted to noun status in that it is syntactically in a position…characteristic of nouns rather than adjective. But that is not full conversion because one cannot say:” saw two wealthies”, nor can one s a y: ” I s aw a w ea lt hy.