upper crust

American  

noun

1. the topmost layer of crust, as of a pie.

2. Informal. the highest social class.

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upper crust British  

noun

1. informal the upper class

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upper crust Cultural  

1. Upper class: “The upper crust often have at least one summer house.”

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upper crust Idioms  

1. The highest social class, as in She wanted badly to be one of the upper crust but it wasn't going to happen. This term alludes to the choicest part of a pie or loaf of bread. [First half of 1800s]

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Other Word Forms

• upper-crust
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of upper crust

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; 1830–35 upper crust for def. 2

Example Sentences

Even as the upper crust regarded Alpha Law’s members as parasites, some of the elite in pelvic-mesh multidistrict-litigation leadership positions profited handily from their efforts.

From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026

The pull of college football’s traditional upper crust is so powerful that earlier this season, Lane Kiffin left a playoff-bound team at Ole Miss to become the head coach at LSU.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

The melts were buoyant and ascended back to the upper crust, trapping the heat-producing elements there in rocks like granite and allowing the lower crust to cool and harden.

From Science Daily • May 8, 2024

Sometimes, though, they can be seen as elite or upper crust — and not particularly accessible.

From Salon • Nov. 3, 2023

The upper crust vacationed in Europe and worshiped an Episcopal God.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

• aristocracy
• blue blood
• jet set
• upper class