elitenoun [ C, + sing/pl verb ]
uk/iˈliːt/us/iˈliːt/C1 the richest, most powerful, best-educated, or best-trained group in a society:
the country's educated elite
a member of the elite
disapproving A powerful and corrupt elite has bled this country dry.
More examples
- the political elite
- the intellectual elite
- the educated ruling elite
- His research ought to have secured him a place in academia's elite.
- Brazil's political and business elite seem prepared to accept the election results.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Organizations - position & status
- a rung on/of the ladder idiom
- apparatchik
- associate
- back seat
- be a big fish in a small pond idiom
- betters 2
- brethren
- comrade
- echelon
- entry-level
- equal
- fellow
- founder
- low-level
- position
- role
- second class
- senior
- standing
- subordinate
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Rich people
eliteadjective [ before noun ]
uk/iˈliːt/us/iˈliːt/belonging to the richest, most powerful, best-educated, or best-trained group in a society:
Elite troops were airlifted to the trouble zone.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Organizations - position & status
- a rung on/of the ladder idiom
- apparatchik
- associate
- back seat
- be a big fish in a small pond idiom
- betters 2
- brethren
- comrade
- echelon
- entry-level
- equal
- fellow
- founder
- low-level
- position
- role
- second class
- senior
- standing
- subordinate
See more results »