elitist

E1L1I1T1I1S1T1
UK/ɪˈliːtɪst/

adjective

Of or relating to elitism.

Opposite
Less commonScrabble 7

Meanings

adjectiveelitist (comparative more elitist, superlative most elitist)

comparative more elitist · superlative most elitist · alternative élitist

  1. Of or relating to elitism.

    And unlike his Davis, California homey DJ Shadow, who smothers tracks with avant-garde displays of turntable mastery, Mike isn't afraid to let his B-boy bouillabaisse coalesce into real bootylicious grooves that are more about moving the crowd than wowing elitist nerds who crowd around the DJ booth.

    1998 September, Matt Diehl, Vibe, volume 6, numbers 6-8, page 302
nounelitist (plural elitists)

plural elitists · alternative élitist

  1. derogatoryusuallySomeone who believes in or is perceived as believing in rule by an elite group.

    Narrators demonstrated resistance coping techniques through direct confrontation with aggressors, such as racists, sexists, homophobes, elitists, and misogynoirists.

    2022 December 6, LeAnna T. Luney, “Like our foremothers survived: Self-education, direct confrontation, and humor as resistance coping in Black womxn and femme college student being”, in Frontiers in Education, volume 7, →DOI, page 10

Synonyms & antonyms

nounsomeone who believes in rule by an elite group

Opposite
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰ
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰs
  3. Proto-Italic*eks
  4. Latinex
  5. Latinex-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*leǵ-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*léǵeti
  8. Proto-Italic*legō
  9. Latinlegō
  10. Latinēligō
  11. Latinēlēctus
  12. Vulgar Latin*exlectus?
  13. Old Frencheslit
  14. Middle Englishelit
  15. Englishelite
  16. Englishelitist

From elite + -ist.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan elitista, elitista
  • elitistaof or relating to elitism
  • elitistasomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
Czech elitářský, elitář
  • elitářskýof or relating to elitism
  • elitářsomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
Danish elitistisk, elitist
  • elitistiskof or relating to elitism
  • elitistsomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
Dutch elitair
  • elitairof or relating to elitism
French élitiste, élitiste
  • élitisteof or relating to elitism
  • élitistesomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
German elitär, elitistisch
  • elitärof or relating to elitism
  • elitistischof or relating to elitism
  • Elitistsomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
  • Elitistinsomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
Japanese エリートの, エリート
  • エリートの (erīto no)of or relating to elitism
  • エリート (erīto)someone who believes in rule by an elite group
Norwegian Bokmål elitistisk, elitist
  • elitistiskof or relating to elitism
  • elitistsomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
Persian نخبهگرا
  • نخبهگراsomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
Portuguese elitista, elitista
  • elitistaof or relating to elitism
  • elitistasomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
Russian эли́тный
  • эли́тный (elítnyj)of or relating to elitism
Spanish elitista, elitista
  • elitistaof or relating to elitism
  • elitistasomeone who believes in rule by an elite group
Swedish elitistisk, elitisk
  • elitistiskof or relating to elitism
  • elitiskof or relating to elitism

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

elitist. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elitist

MLA

“elitist.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elitist. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “elitist,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elitist.

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