white-shoe

American

[hwahyt-shoo, wahyt] / ˈʰwaɪtˈʃu, ˈwaɪt /

adjective

of or relating to members of the upper class who own or run large corporations.

white-shoe bankers; a conservative white-shoe image.

Etymology

Origin of white-shoe

First recorded in 1975–80; apparently from the white shoes popular as moderately formal wear among suburban men c1980

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.

Meta and Google each had multiple partners from white-shoe firms at the defense table every day for eight weeks in Los Angeles, attorneys who can command thousands of dollars per billable hour.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

Epstein emailed Brad Karp, the chairman of white-shoe law firm Paul Weiss, on October 6, 2017.

From Salon • Feb. 6, 2026

Macfarlane notes that HHMI’s lead lawyer is Chong Park, a partner at the white-shoe firm Ropes & Gray known for working on large, complex cases.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 4, 2023

Gorman "guided a traditional, white-shoe investment bank through a transformative and successful evolution into a diversified, dynamic wealth management institution," said Ana Arsov, managing director at Moody's.

From Reuters • Oct. 26, 2023

“Phooey, I say, on all white-shoe college boys who edit their campus literary magazines. Give me an honest con man any day.”

From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023