gentrified

American  

[jen-truh-fahyd] / ˈdʒɛn trəˌfaɪd /

adjective

1. very or excessively refined or elegant.

2. subjected to gentrification.

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Etymology

Origin of gentrified

First recorded in 1975–80; gentrify + -ed ²

Explanation

A gentrified neighborhood has transformed from being a poor, working-class area to one where wealthier people live. There are usually many places to buy a latte in a gentrified neighborhood, but very few minority-owned businesses. If an area is gentrified, it's gone through a transition. From a neighborhood that was inhabited by working-class and poor residents, often people of color, it's become wealthier and (usually) whiter. The buildings in a gentrified neighborhood may look tidier, with fixed-up homes and brand new businesses, but many of the people who were there for their whole lives can no longer afford to live there. Gentrified is rooted in gentry, "nobility," or "upper-middle class."

Example Sentences

"I think rap is getting gentrified," he told New Wave magazine.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026

But as it moved through the gentrified streets, the initially peaceful protest turned ugly.

From BBC • Aug. 29, 2025

“The Western markets did not democratize EVs. They gentrified EVs,” said Bill Russo, the founder of the Automobility Ltd. consultancy in Shanghai.

From Seattle Times • May 12, 2024

In Portland, Ore., for example, as formerly working- and middle-class neighborhoods gentrified, small bungalows were ripped down and replaced by large McMansions.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2024

This is the Mission District, a gentrified hotbed of sushi, tapas, hip Mexican restaurants, and upscale furniture stores.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel