elite

Pluralelites

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A social group or class whose members hold superior wealth, power, or privilege in society; also one member of that group.

   The political elite gathered at the summit to guard their shared interests.

   She was born into an elite that had governed the region for generations.

   Similarestablishment, aristocracy

   Oppositemasses

   Note

   Social criticism runs on this sense, which works three ways. It names a group (constituting an elite), a plural that sharpens the edge (the hubris of the elites), or a single member. Time in 1964 could still speak warmly of educating "the elites of tomorrow". In Paul Krugman's 2024 column, the elites are what politicians rail against. Watch the plural, because it often carries the complaint.

2. 2
   adjective

   Representing the choicest or most carefully selected members of a group.

   The academy admits only elite candidates after rigorous testing.

   These elite athletes represent the top fraction of their sport.

   Similartop, select, choice, outstanding, exceptional

   Oppositeordinary, average, mediocre

   Note

   Here the old meaning "chosen" lies closest to the surface, the same root traced under the high-born sense. Sports writing relies on it: Louise Taylor in The Guardian (2013) calls the Premier League "the elite division." Because the word already means the very best, comparing it can feel strained. Both eliter and more elite exist, but more elite and most elite read more smoothly than eliter and elitest.

3. 3
   nouncountable

   A person who ranks among the best at a particular task or skill.

   Among programmers, he is widely regarded as an elite.

   The tournament draws elites from every discipline in the field.

   Similarexpert, ace, master, star

   Oppositenovice, amateur

   Note

   Merit rather than rank defines this use: it names the best at something, whatever their birth or standing. It sits naturally as a collective after among, as when Phil McNulty wrote for BBC Sport in 2018 that England could not be counted among the world's elite until they beat the best. Unlike the privileged social class, a place in this elite has to be earned in competition.

4. 4
   adjective

   Born into a noble or upper-class family, or holding a high position in society.

   His elite lineage granted him a seat among the nobility.

   The salon welcomed only guests of elite birth.

   Similararistocratic, noble, patrician, privileged

   Oppositehumble, common, lowly, plebeian

   Note

   Rank by birth is an odd fit for a word that means "chosen": it comes through Old French elit, the past participle of elire, "to choose, elect," from Latin eligere, which also gives English elect. In this sense, birth takes the place of selection. It pairs naturally with lineage, birth or family. Aristocratic or patrician make the point more plainly when you want no doubt that the rank was inherited.

5. 5
   noununcountable

   A typewriter typeface that prints 12 characters per inch.

   He set the typewriter to elite for the dense quarterly report.

   Documents typed in elite squeezed noticeably more text onto each line.

   Note

   Typewriters measured type by pitch, and this is the twelve-pitch face: twelve characters to the inch, with every letter the same width. It is finer and denser than ten-pitch pica, so a page typed in elite holds noticeably more text. Treat it as a name for a setting (typed in elite, switched to elite) rather than something you count.

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