Word of the Day

: May 23, 2008

arriviste

noun a-rih-VEEST

What It Means

: one that is a new and uncertain arrival (as in social position or artistic endeavor)

arriviste in Context

The young entrepreneur was viewed as an arriviste in the business community, and many old-timers were leery of his ideas.

Did You Know?

An "arriviste" is someone who is just beginning to "arrive," in the sense of achieving success or making a name for oneself. Often the word can have slightly negative connotations, indicating a person who is highly aggressive or perhaps unscrupulous in his or her climb to the top. Like its synonym "parvenu," "arriviste" can also indicate a lack of certainty or confidence in one's newfound position. "Arriviste" is something of a new arrival itself, relatively speaking. English speakers borrowed the term from French in the early 20th century.