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Synonyms

socialite

American  
[soh-shuh-lahyt] / ˈsoʊ ʃəˌlaɪt /

noun

  1. a socially prominent person.


socialite British  
/ ˈsəʊʃəˌlaɪt /

noun

  1. a person who is or seeks to be prominent in fashionable society

"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

Etymology

Origin of socialite

First recorded in 1925–30; social + -ite 1

Explanation

A socialite is someone who spends a lot of time in fashionable social circles. A socialite gets invited to all the best parties and says yes to all of them. When you talk to other people, you're being social. A socialite is a person who loves being social, especially in circles that are in the public eye. A socialite goes to the fanciest parties and the most expensive restaurants. A socialite dates famous people and goes where photographers can take their picture. A socialite is always making the scene. In many ways, socialites are the opposite of hermits or recluses.

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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.

Donald Trump Jr. is getting married this weekend to socialite Bettina Anderson.

From Slate • May 23, 2026

Late socialite Ivana Trump’s palatial New York City townhouse has finally found a buyer—more than three years after it was put on the market for $26.5 million.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

In 2021, he took part in a TV show featuring socialite and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian, where he built a bunker for her California home.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

And yet, whether socialite spy or glasses-wearing econometrician, both were drawn from the Ivy League and a handful of other acceptable schools, thereby maintaining a largely closed circle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

The woman turned out to be a Washington socialite, but it could so easily have been Elizebeth instead.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

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