elitism

noun

elit·​ism i-ˈlē-ˌti-zəm  ē-  ā- 

1

: leadership or rule by an elite

2

: the selectivity of the elite

especially : snobbery

elitism in choosing new members

3

: consciousness of being or belonging to an elite

Examples of elitism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In academia, for example, knowledge is sometimes restricted by institutional gatekeeping—whether through elitism, limited access to resources or faculty who control what information gets shared with students. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025

And in a manner similar to Trump, Khan did away with the elitism of politics, focusing on the average person instead. —Avi Kumar, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025

But white pants bring with them a host of associations and preconceptions about elitism, privilege and, in the case of boating, retrograde Boston Brahmin values, that anyone considering a pair of white jeans may want to consider. —Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025

In a culture more terrified of elitism than philistinism, Gulman creates brainy, word-drunk art that aims high. —The Learning Network, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for elitism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism