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”; 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.

Example Sentences

He studied at the elite Buckley School and Philips Exeter Academy before attending college at Yale University, where he captained the men’s soccer team and graduated in 1979.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Inside Chelsea they say debt is part of a highly-structured investment approach, common in elite sport, and there is a long-term plan for sustainability.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

There are 15 million more people with elite credit scores of at least 781 compared to 2019, according to TransUnion, compared to 1.5 million more with the lowest scores.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

So why would Angel Studios pick up this film for distribution and risk aligning itself with the Hollywood elite that it so forthrightly challenges?

From Salon • May 3, 2026

For the Mona Lisa to break out of this elite circle, something dramatic would have to happen.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Related Words

• aristocracy
• celebrity
• establishment
• society