elitist
Americanadjective
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(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.
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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
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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.
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a person who believes in the superiority of an elitist class.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of elitist
Explanation
Elitist is another word for snob. If you wear only the finest silk suits, expect caviar at every meal, and refuse to speak to anyone who doesn't have a PhD, then you might be an elitist. A fairly recent addition to the English language, the noun elitist, came about from a mix of elite + ist in 1950. Carlyle, Freud, and Nietzsche were all considered to be the original elitists. Elite, from which elitist was formed, evolved much earlier, in 1823, from the French élite, meaning “selection, choice.” Synonyms for elitist include highbrow, pompous person, social climber, and stuffed shirt.
Vocabulary lists containing elitist
Word Generation Social Studies - Ancient Civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome
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President Obama's Commencement Address (2016)
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"Thomas Jefferson: The Best of Enemies" by Ron Chernow
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But some project supporters call Keller and other critics elitist.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
If not wanting my robot assistant/future overlord to have an image tool makes me an A.I. elitist, as Altman implies, then I will proudly fit myself for a monocle.
From Slate • Feb. 10, 2026
“He was not exclusive and he was not an elitist, “ Savannah said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026
Cultural specialist Oluwatoyin Sogbesan agrees that the conversation has grown increasingly elitist.
From BBC • Nov. 12, 2025
“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.”
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
