elitist

[ih-lee-tist, ey-lee‑]

adjective

1. (of a person or class of persons) considered superior by others or by themselves, as in intellect, talent, power, wealth, or position in society.

   elitist country clubbers who have theirs and don't care about anybody else.

2. catering to or associated with an elitist class, its ideologies, or its institutions.

   Even at such a small, private college, Latin and Greek are under attack as too elitist.

noun

1. a person having, thought to have, or professing superior intellect or talent, power, wealth, or membership in the upper echelons of society.

   He lost a congressional race in Texas by being smeared as an Eastern elitist.

2. a person who believes in the superiority of an elitist class.

Other Word Forms

• antielitist noun
• nonelitist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of elitist¹

elite + -ist

Example Sentences

“Now, the witch doesn’t take kindly to this perspective. Personally, I don’t blame her. It’s reductionist, it’s elitist, and it’s just plain icky. So the witch goes from zero to a hundred—and curses Benefo.”

Read more on Literature

But cryptocurrency has something else: A massive elitist ramp determined to drive it higher.

Read more on MarketWatch

He “wants the Bureau to get back to focusing on field and agent work vs. an elitist D.C. culture,” FBI spokesman Ben Williamson said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

BBC sources denied a report in the Telegraph that the corporation's director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, viewed the event as "elitist", adding that the decision had been purely based on the return on investment.

Read more on BBC

Fuentes correctly identifies that Carlson is a dishonest fraud who plays a populist character, when in fact he is an elitist who has contempt for his audience.

Read more on Salon