elite

American  

[ih-leet, ey-leet] / ɪˈlit, eɪˈlit /

Or élite

noun

1. (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.

2. (used with a plural verb)

   1. people of the highest financial or social level of society.

      Only the elite received invites to the event.

   2. 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.

3. 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.

4. a type, widely used in typewriters, that is approximately 10-point in size and has 12 characters to the inch.

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adjective

1. representing the choicest or most select; best.

   The program is taught by an elite group of authors.

elite British  

/ ɪˈliːt, eɪ- /

noun

1. (sometimes functioning as plural) the most powerful, rich, gifted, or educated members of a group, community, etc

2. Also called: twelve pitch.  a typewriter typesize having 12 characters to the inch

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or suitable for an elite; exclusive

Other Word Forms

• antielite noun
• nonelite noun
• superelite noun

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”; elect

Example Sentences

“At some point, the only way to get the financial elite to start hearing our pleas is if we stop giving them money,” Granado-Gomez told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Border Patrol agents from an elite unit rappelled from a hovering Black Hawk helicopter onto the roof of a 130-unit apartment complex.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

It was also an open-source platform, developed by home-grown engineers from elite Chinese universities.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

Gen. Qassem Suleimani, who led Iran’s Quds Force, an elite branch of the Iranian military responsible for the country’s foreign operations.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

This was my debut as a junior elite gymnast, and somehow I’d managed to win gold right out the gate!

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

Related Words

• aristocracy
• celebrity
• establishment
• society