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Showing results for elitism.

elitism

American  
[ih-lee-tiz-uhm, ey-lee-] / ɪˈli tɪz əm, eɪˈli- /

noun

  1. practice of or belief in rule by an elite.

  2. consciousness of or pride in belonging to a select or favored group.

elitism British  
/ ɪˈliːtɪzəm, eɪ- /

noun

    1. the belief that society should be governed by a select group of gifted and highly educated individuals

    2. such government

  2. pride in or awareness of being one of an elite group

"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

Other Word Forms

  • antielitism noun
  • elitist noun

Etymology

Origin of elitism

First recorded in 1950–55; elite + -ism

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.