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elitist

elitist

23 6.8
A person who thinks some people are better and should have more power
  • noun
  • /ɪˈliːtɪst/
translation icon : elitista
  • Many voters began to view him as an elitist who only cared about wealthy individuals.

Like is mindfulness only for elitists in a way.

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Examples

  • I'm highly educated, but I suspect that makes me an elitist, right?

    Blog text (1)
  • Elitists are not necessarily hostile toward popular art, and populists may prize excellence.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Is that an elitist thought?

    Academic text (1996)
  • Well, I'm not an elitist like you.

  • There's no reason to be an elitist about it.

  • People think that we are elitists who do not belong at Target, and they may be right.

  • That is because I am a miserable, grumpy elitist... and that works for me.

  • Bourbaki was a group of elitist French mathematicians.

  • For some crazy reason, everybody thinks you're a rich elitist that can't relate to regular people.

  • The move to replace jury trials with mediation and arbitration, he says, is actually an effort by elitists in our society to control how disputes are decided.

    Academic text (2009)

Synonyms

racist
vselitist
  • Offensive
176 5.4

A person who dislikes or treats people of other races unfairly

is broader supporting superiority and privilege beyond race
snob
vselitist
  • Offensive
72 5.1

A person who thinks they are better than others because of their social status or taste

expresses superiority as claim to greater power or privilege not only status
supremacist
vselitist
  • Offensive
63 8.6

A person who believes one race is better than others and wants that race to have power

shares belief in superiority but focuses on broader privilege rather than enforced dominance
chauvinist
vselitist
  • Offensive
11 7.9

A person who strongly believes their country, group or gender is better and is unfair to others

expresses superiority as preference for power not only fierce loyalty
racialist
vselitist
  • Offensive
4 9.3

A person who thinks one race is better than others

expresses superiority in racial terms while the main concept covers all group types
exclusionist
vselitist
  • Offensive
1 8.5

Supporting rules that keep certain people from joining a group

expresses superiority as entitlement to more power rather than mere exclusion
classist
vselitist
1 8.2

A person who treats people unfairly because of their social class

applies superiority to demand more influence or rights for certain groups
oligarchist
vselitist
9.6

A person who wants a small group of rich, powerful people to control the government

prefers superiority that may not demand ruling power
inegalitarian
vselitist
9.9

A person who supports unfair treatment of some people or groups

supports superiority but focuses on privilege rather than general inequality
exclusivist
vselitist
8.8

A person or group that excludes others and thinks only their group is right

views superiority as right to greater authority and privilege
subordinationist
vselitist
9.9

A person who believes one person or group should be ranked below another

prefers superiority shown by having more power rather than only rank

Antonyms

2 7.0

A person who wants all people to have equal rights and chances

Compounds

A way of thinking that makes you feel better than others and makes you treat them as less important

elitist crowd
  • Offensive
7.5

A group of people who think they are better than others

A rule that gives special advantages to rich or powerful people rather than everyone

How Elitist

snob
  • Offensive
72 5.1
elitist
23 6.8
selective
118 4.3
egalitarian
2 7.0

Surface Forms

elitist singular
elitists plural

Morphology

elitist = elite (transparent) = elite + ist

The meaning is directly derived from 'elite' + the agent/affiliation suffix '-ist' (one who supports or belongs to the elite), so learners who know 'elite' can infer the meaning.

Etymology

The word elitist comes from elite, meaning 'the chosen best', and the ending -ist, which means 'a person'. So an elitist is a person who thinks a small, chosen group is better than others and should have more power.