elite
Americannoun
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(used with a plural verb) the choicest or best of anything considered collectively, especially of a group or class of people.
The elite of the contemporary art scene were all represented at the gallery.
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(used with a plural verb)
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people of the highest financial or social level of society.
Only the elite received invites to the event.
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a group of people exercising the major share of authority or influence within a larger group.
The scandal involved most members of the political party's power elite.
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a member of a group of people who have a great deal of power, influence, or social capital.
The elites don't care about ordinary people's problems.
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a type, widely used in typewriters, that is approximately 10-point in size and has 12 characters to the inch.
adjective
noun
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(sometimes functioning as plural) the most powerful, rich, gifted, or educated members of a group, community, etc
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Also called: twelve pitch. a typewriter typesize having 12 characters to the inch
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of elite
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English elit “a person elected to office,” from Middle French e(s)lit, past participle of e(s)lire “to choose”; see elect
Explanation
The elite are the group thought to be the best and having the highest status. In the middle ages, only elite men were taught to read and write. There are elite schools, elite teams, and elite players, some really the best and some just calling themselves the best. Who can join the basketball elite besides LeBron James and Michael Jordan? That's a matter of opinion. Elite is used with a singular or plural verb, depending on whether these special people are considered together as a group or as individual members of a group.
Vocabulary lists containing elite
The Outsiders
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Outliers
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Achievement First 6th Grade IA 1 Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The app, known as Enhanced Leads Identification and Targeting for Enforcement, or ELITE, lets officers research and track individuals based on criminal history, license plate searches, name, date of birth or locations.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
EAST’S ELITE: Friday’s schedule could feature some East playoff previews.
From Washington Times • Feb. 16, 2015
"PREDATOR ELITE" There is also a growing clamor from ANC supporters to improve delivery of electricity, running water, schools and other basic services to the poor.
From Reuters • Jan. 6, 2012
The most important self-perception of underground hackers—from the 1960s, right through to the present day—is that they are an ELITE.
From The Hacker Crackdown, law and disorder on the electronic frontier by Sterling, Bruce
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
