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elitism

[ ih-lee-tiz-uhm, ey-lee- ]
/ ɪˈli tɪz əm, eɪˈli- /
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See synonyms for: elitist on Thesaurus.com

noun
practice of or belief in rule by an elite.
consciousness of or pride in belonging to a select or favored group.
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Origin of elitism

First recorded in 1950–55; elite + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM elitism

e·lit·ist, noun, adjectivean·ti·e·lit·ism, noun

Words nearby elitism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use elitism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for elitism

elitism
/ (ɪˈliːtɪzəm, eɪ-) /

noun
  1. the belief that society should be governed by a select group of gifted and highly educated individuals
  2. such government
pride in or awareness of being one of an elite group

Derived forms of elitism

elitist, adjective, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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