elite

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)

1. Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.
2. Representing the choicest or most select of a group.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

elite (plural elites)

1. A special group or social class of people who have a superior social or economic status and attendant power, advantages, or privileges in society; a member of such a group.
2. Someone who is among the best at a certain task.
3. (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)

1. elite

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French élite.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌeːˈli.tə/
• Hyphenation: eli‧te
• Rhymes: -itə

Noun

elite f (plural elites)

1. 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

1. 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)

1. elite (group with higher status)

   Synonym: escol

2. elite (person who is among the best at certain task)

References

Spanish

Noun

elite f (plural elites)

1. Alternative form of élite

Further reading

• “elite”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10