parvenu

[ pahr-vuh-noo, -nyoo, pahr-vuh-noo, -nyoo ]

noun

1. a person who has recently or suddenly acquired wealth, importance, position, or the like, but has not yet developed the conventionally appropriate manners, dress, surroundings, etc.

adjective

1. being or resembling a parvenu.
2. characteristic of a parvenu.

parvenu

/ ˈpɑːvəˌnjuː /

noun

1. a person, esp a man, who, having risen socially or economically, is considered to be an upstart or to lack the appropriate refinement for his or her new position

adjective

1. of or characteristic of a parvenu

Other Words From

• parve·nudom noun
• parve·nu·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of parvenu¹

1795–1805; < French: upstart, noun use of past participle of parvenir to arrive, reach < Latin pervenīre, equivalent to per- per- + venīre to come

Word History and Origins

Origin of parvenu¹

C19: from French, from parvenir to attain, from Latin pervenīre, from per through + venīre to come

Example Sentences

The song in question is “All About That Bass,” an L.A. Reid shepherded anthem courtesy of 20-year-old parvenu Meghan Trainor.

From The Daily Beast

I've never understood this fixation some people, especially the social striver-parvenu types, have with fancy watches.

From The Daily Beast

On his head was the second-hand hat of some parvenu's coachman, gold lace, cockade and all.

From Project Gutenberg

The squire's son-in-law was quite aware that the wealthy Mr. Sleek was a parvenu.

From Project Gutenberg

His excellency bowed slightly, the parvenu humbled himself lower than the earth, then they chatted for a moment.

From Project Gutenberg

Our aim, after all, is the same as the business parvenu; we want to do the things others do at the top—what we call the top!

From Project Gutenberg

In a word, putting one in mind of the parvenu in the ‘Walpurgis Nacht.’

From Project Gutenberg