non-elite

adjective

ˌnän-ā-ˈlēt How to pronounce non-elite (audio)
-i-,
-ē-
: not elite
non-elite athletes
a non-elite college
non-elite noun
Within nations there exist hierarchies of minorities of elites (those who control resources and institutions) and large majorities of non-elites (ordinary citizens, who are poorer and less powerful). John A. Booth et al.

Examples of non-elite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Still, against non-elite competition this year, Illinois -- whose only losses this year came against No. 1 Oregon and No. 3 Penn State -- has been excellent. Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024 Now, many top-tier travel credit cards include lounge access as a perk, even for non-elite frequent flyers. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 20 Sep. 2024 The failing Russian state is increasingly fragmented between its center in Moscow and the periphery, elites and non-elites, and Russians and non-Russians. Alexander J. Motyl, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2016 Paradoxically, non-elite white people and Black people have more in common with each other than non-elite whites have in common with their elite. Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 19 June 2024 For the premier membership, the annual price will increase from $550 to $650 for Alaska elite members and $650 to $750 for non-elite members in 2024. Stella Shon, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2023 JetBlue’s Mosaic elite members will earn 9 points per dollar on airfare booked through JetBlue Vacations packages, while non-elite TrueBlue members will earn 6 points per dollar. Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2023 These new, non-elite additions to campus adopted and adapted collegiate style, adding articles such as fatigues, which quickly became a prep staple: khakis. Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, The New Republic, 14 Aug. 2023 But those with elite status do earn more miles per flight than non-elite members of a frequent flier program. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of non-elite was in 1937

Dictionary Entries Near non-elite

Cite this Entry

“Non-elite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-elite. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!