aristocrat

noun

aris·​to·​crat ə-ˈri-stə-ˌkrat 

a-;

ˈa-rə-stə-

1

: a member of an aristocracy

especially : noble

an aristocrat by birth

2

a

: one who has the bearing and viewpoint typical of the aristocracy

b

: one who favors aristocracy

3

: one believed to be superior of its kind

the aristocrat of Southern resorts

—Southern Living

Did you know?

Since aristos means "best" in Greek, ancient Greeks such as Plato and Aristotle used the word aristocracy to mean a system of rule by the best people—that is, those who deserved to rule because of their intelligence and moral excellence. But this kind of "best" soon became something you could inherit from your parents. The United States has no formal aristocracy—no noble titles such as baron or marquis that stay in the family—but certain American families have achieved an almost aristocratic status because of the wealth they've held onto for generations.

Synonyms

• blue blood
• gentle
• gentleperson
• noble
• patrician

Examples of aristocrat in a Sentence

could trace his lineage to an English aristocrat of the 17th century

Recent Examples on the Web

Restricted for centuries to aristocrats, officials and eventually study groups, the Vasari Corridor’s views are now available to ticketed Uffizi visitors for €18 (around $19) in addition to the galleries’ €25 (about $26) entrance fee. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Jan. 2025

Thomas leaves home when tasked to take some deeds to Count Orlok, a mysterious aristocrat residing in the Carpathian Mountains. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024

Mbatha-Raw stars as Claudia, an ambitious young bi-racial lawyer who embarks on a journey to Jamaica to challenge an inheritance claim filed by an unknown local resident, Cudjoe East (Sheldon Shepherd), against Oliver Connaught (Jonny Lee-Miller), a wealthy white aristocrat. —Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 4 Dec. 2024

The series follows Claudia (Mbatha-Raw), an ambitious young bi-racial lawyer, who embarks on a journey to Jamaica to challenge an inheritance claim filed by an unknown local resident, Cudjoe East (Sheldon Shepherd), against Oliver Connaught (Lee-Miller), a wealthy white aristocrat. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see aristocracy

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

aristocrat

noun

aris·​to·​crat ə-ˈris-tə-ˌkrat 

a-;

ˈar-ə-stə-

1

: a member of an aristocracy

2

: a person who has habits and ideas like those of the aristocracy

aristocratic

ə-ˌris-tə-ˈkrat-ik

a-ˌris-tə-

ˌar-ə-stə-

adjective

aristocratically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb