aristocrat

American  

[uh-ris-tuh-krat, ar-uh-stuh-] / əˈrɪs təˌkræt, ˈær ə stə- /

noun

aristocrats plural

1. a member of an aristocracy, especially a noble.

   Synonyms:

   lord, peer, patrician

2. a person who has the tastes, manners, etc., characteristic of members of an aristocracy.

3. an advocate of an aristocratic form of government.

4. anything regarded as the best, most elegant, or most stylish of its kind.

   the aristocrat of California wines.

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aristocrat British  

/ ˈærɪstəˌkræt /

noun

1. a member of the aristocracy; a noble

2. a person who has the manners or qualities of a member of a privileged or superior class

3. a person who advocates aristocracy as a form of government

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• aristocrats
  plural

Etymology

Origin of aristocrat

First recorded in 1770–80; from French aristocrate, back formation from aristocratie aristocracy

Explanation

An aristocrat is someone from the ruling class, usually those with nobility, money, or both. Although not an aristocrat yourself, you may have the odd viscount on your family tree if you go back far enough. The word aristocrat comes from the Greek word aristokratia, which itself comes from the root words aristos, meaning "best," and kratos, meaning "rule." So, the aristocracy was the ruling class of (supposedly) the best and noblest people, and an aristocrat was a member of that class. Today the word can also be applied to anyone with superior standing: Count Basie was an aristocrat in the jazz world.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aristocrat aristocrats

It is directed by Celyn Jones, who also directed Madfabulous about the Marquess of Anglesey, an eccentric 19th Century Welsh aristocrat.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

Born in Gloucester in October 1993, Cottrell's mother, the Honourable Fiona Cottrell, is an aristocrat whose father, the third Baron Manton, inherited a family soap empire, the Sunday Times reports.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

Depicting the singer as a Baroque aristocrat clad in contemporary designer fashion, the portrait helped propel González onto an international stage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

A small part of the problem is that the dividend aristocrat index is equal-weighted, but it has done terribly even compared with the equal-weighted S&P, which is itself lagging behind the normal, market-value-weighted index.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

She stared at his hands: they were not those of a refined, intelligent aristocrat, but of a man who has nothing interesting to say.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Jewish by birth, Disraeli was a departure from the aristocrats and country gentlemen whose party he refashioned.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

If these aristocrats fall out of favor, look past accounting measures and consider paying what still looks like a high sticker price for that pedigree.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

The dividend aristocrats index is heavily weighted in defensive sectors, with utilities and consumer staples comprising 33% of its constituents.

From Barron's ● Apr. 1, 2026

But amongst MPs in the other place next door, and outside the Houses of Parliament, the idea of continuing to allow aristocrats seats by dint of birth is anathema to many.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026

The aristocrats of the rating business, 20 percent owned by Warren Buffett.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• noble