English Online Dictionary. What means elite? What does elite mean?
English
Alternative forms
- élite
Etymology
From Middle English elit, from Old French elit, eslit (“chosen, elected”) past participle of elire, eslire (“to choose, elect”), from Latin eligere (“to choose, elect”), with past participle electus; see elect.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪˈliːt/, /ɛˈliːt/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ɪˈlit/, /eɪˈlit/, /əˈlit/, /iˈlit/
- (General Australian) IPA(key): /ɪˈliːt/, [ɪˈlɪit], /əˈliːt/, [əˈlɪit]
- (Leet) IPA(key): /ɛˈliːt/
- Rhymes: -iːt
Adjective
elite (comparative eliter or more elite, superlative elitest or most elite)
- Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.
- Representing the choicest or most select of a group.
Derived terms
Translations
Noun
elite (plural elites)
- A special group or social class of people which have a superior intellectual, social or economic status as the elite of society.
- Someone who is among the best at a certain task.
- (typography) A typeface with 12 characters per inch.
- Coordinate term: pica
Derived terms
Related terms
- elect
- elitism
- elitist
- elegant
- eligible
- l33t
- select
- selection
Translations
References
- “elite”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- elite in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
- “elite”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “elite”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- "elite" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 112.
Anagrams
- Eitel, Leite, Tiele
Afrikaans
Etymology
From Dutch elite, from French élite.
Pronunciation
Noun
elite (plural elites)
- elite
Dutch
Etymology
Borrowed from French élite.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˌeːˈli.tə/
- Hyphenation: eli‧te
- Rhymes: -itə
Noun
elite f (plural elites)
- elite (group with a high or privileged status)
Usage notes
The term may be used with negative as well as positive connotations, but negative connotations tend to predominate, especially in contemporary political discourse. Overall the term has a more negative ring than French élite or English elite.
Derived terms
- bedrijfselite
- bestuurselite
- elitair
- elite-eenheid
- elitehaver
- elitekorps
- elitetroep
- elitisme
- elitist
- elitistisch
- havermelkelite
- zakenelite
Descendants
- Afrikaans: elite
- → Indonesian: elite
Indonesian
Etymology
From Dutch elite.
Pronunciation
- (Standard Indonesian) IPA(key): /eˈlitə/ [eˈli.t̪ə]
- Rhymes: -itə
- Syllabification: e‧li‧te
Noun
élite (first-person possessive eliteku, second-person possessive elitemu, third-person possessive elitenya)
- elite
Alternative forms
- élit (Standard Malay, nonstandard Indonesian)
Related terms
- elitisme
Further reading
- “elite” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.
Portuguese
Etymology
Borrowed from French élite.
Pronunciation
- Hyphenation: e‧li‧te
Noun
elite f (plural elites)
- elite (group with higher status)
- Synonym: escol
- elite (person who is among the best at certain task)
References
Spanish
Noun
elite f (plural elites)
- Alternative form of élite
Further reading
- “elite”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28