elitist

1 of 2

noun

elit·​ist i-ˈlē-tist  ē-  ā- 

plural elitists

1

: one who is an adherent of elitism : one whose attitudes and beliefs are biased in favor of a socially elite class of people

On many issues, they seem to be populists rather than elitists—believers that people can make decisions for themselves better than elites can.

—Michael Barone

Derided by elitists as phony, the … movement is spontaneous, decentralized, frequently amateurish and sometimes shrill.

—Karl Rove

2

: a person who is or regards himself or herself as a member of a socially elite group

He's too rich, too polished—he's an elitist in a party that has become home to disaffected white, working-class voters.

—Joe Klein

He was an elitist, who esteemed himself better than Americans from most classes of the population.

—Louis Filler

elitist

2 of 2

adjective

: of or relating to elites or elitism: such as

a

: giving special treatment and advantages to wealthy and powerful people

elitist colleges

an elitist country club

Cosmetic surgery is still mostly an elitist preoccupation …

—Toni Bentley

b

: regarding other people as inferior because they lack power, wealth, or status : snobbish

an elitist snob

elitist classmates

Synonyms

Adjective

• aristocratic
• high-hat
• persnickety
• potty
• ritzy
• snobbish
• snobby
• snooty
• snotty
• toffee-nosed [chiefly British]

Examples of elitist in a Sentence

Adjective

the complacent, elitist attitude of the members at that suburban country club

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Democrats are still sifting through the rubble of their loss to President-elect Donald Trump last month, with some in the party blaming a reputation -- justified or not -- as elitists out of touch with everyday voters' concerns while cozying up to other wealthy and well-connected allies. —Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 2 Dec. 2024

Platform a fierier populist message on the economy and a cooler one on cultural issues that make some of his members feel like Democrats are out-of-touch elitists. —Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 18 Nov. 2024

Adjective

Critics say Democrats are elitist and look down on working-class people. —John Blake, CNN, 24 Nov. 2024

Tracking Trump's picks to serve in his Cabinet, administration But beyond tactics, Democrats lamented a reputation as elitist, inside-the-beltway experts with little knowledge or interest in what average Americans feel is important for the country. —Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1943, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing elitist

• anti-elitist