aristocrat
Americannoun
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a member of an aristocracy, especially a noble.
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a person who has the tastes, manners, etc., characteristic of members of an aristocracy.
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an advocate of an aristocratic form of government.
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anything regarded as the best, most elegant, or most stylish of its kind.
the aristocrat of California wines.
noun
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a member of the aristocracy; a noble
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a person who has the manners or qualities of a member of a privileged or superior class
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a person who advocates aristocracy as a form of government
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of aristocrat
First recorded in 1770–80; from French aristocrate, back formation from aristocratie aristocracy
Explanation
An aristocrat is someone from the ruling class, usually those with nobility, money, or both. Although not an aristocrat yourself, you may have the odd viscount on your family tree if you go back far enough. The word aristocrat comes from the Greek word aristokratia, which itself comes from the root words aristos, meaning "best," and kratos, meaning "rule." So, the aristocracy was the ruling class of (supposedly) the best and noblest people, and an aristocrat was a member of that class. Today the word can also be applied to anyone with superior standing: Count Basie was an aristocrat in the jazz world.
Vocabulary lists containing aristocrat
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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Prince (1958-2016) Tribute List
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Medieval Europe - Introductory
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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.
Depicting the singer as a Baroque aristocrat clad in contemporary designer fashion, the portrait helped propel González onto an international stage.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
The buyback aristocrat strategy showed a hypothetical 14.5% annual return over 10 years, with only 13% tech weighting.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
On the other side sits Perez's own preference: the grand manager, the aristocrat of the touchline, someone whose presence alone commands respect in the dressing room.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
Churchill was a short, stout, luxury-loving aristocrat, while de Gaulle was a tall, angular ascetic.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
This sort of rhetorical stance isn’t the preserve of the English aristocrat.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
