élite

A form of elite — Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.

Meanings

adjectiveélite (comparative more élite, superlative most élite)

comparative more élite · superlative most élite

  1. alternativeAlternative spelling of elite.

    Over time, though, a class system emerged; now revisions made by infrequent contributors are much likelier to be undone by élite Wikipedians.

    2009 September 28, Farhad Manjoo, “Is Wikipedia a Victim of Its Own Success?”, in TIME.COM, archived from the original on 23 Sep 2009, page 2
    1 more example

    Ben-Gurion’s legacy has been an enduring one. The projection of a national consensus, the domination of the state over other political actors, and the hegemony exercised over decision-making by a largely Ashkanazim élite remain features of Israeli politics today.

    2002, Clive Jones, Emma Murphy, Israel: Challenges to Identity, Democracy, and the State, Routledge, →ISBN, page 27
nounélite (plural élites)

plural élites

  1. alternativeAlternative spelling of elite.

    A hush had fallen over the élite in the ballroom, as a broad path was cleared for the throne. Lepold sat on it now, hands solidly on its arms, head high, face frozen.

    1951, Isaac Asimov, Foundation (1974 Panther Books Ltd publication), part III: “The Mayors”, chapter 6, page 101, ¶ 5

Origin

  1. Frenchélite
  2. Englishélite

Unadapted borrowing from French élite.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

élite. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/%C3%A9lite

MLA

“élite.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/%C3%A9lite. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “élite,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/%C3%A9lite.

Source: élite on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.