parvenu

par·ve·nu

noun \ˈpär-və-ˌnü, -ˌnyü\

plural par·ve·nus\-ˌn(y)üz\

Definition of PARVENU

: one that has recently or suddenly risen to an unaccustomed position of wealth or power and has not yet gained the prestige, dignity, or manner associated with it

— parvenu adjective

Examples of PARVENU

1. <the kind of trophy house that a parvenu buys to prove to people, and to himself, that he has indeed arrived>

Origin of PARVENU

French, from past participle of parvenir to arrive, from Latin pervenire, from per through + venire to come — more at for, come

First Known Use: 1787

Related to PARVENU

Synonyms

arriviste, nouveau riche, upstart

Related Words

arrivé, comer; adventurer, snob, social climber; fat cat, moneybags, nabob

Rhymes with PARVENU

aperçu, avenue, babassu, baby blue, ballyhoo, barbecue, billet-doux, bird's-eye view, black-and-blue, buckaroo, bugaboo, callaloo, caribou, catechu, clerihew, cobalt blue, cockapoo, cockatoo, Cotonou, counterview, curlicue, déjà vu, derring-do, detinue, feverfew, follow-through, gardyloo, hitherto, honeydew, ingenue, interview, IOU, Irish stew, jabiru, Jiangsu, kangaroo, Kathmandu, kinkajou, loup-garou, Makalu, manitou, marabou, McAdoo, microbrew, midnight blue, Montague, Montesquieu, Mountain View, ormolu, overdo, overdue, overshoe, overstrew, overview, parvenue, pas de deux, passe-partout, pay-per-view, PDQ, peacock blue, peekaboo, peer review, petting zoo, Pompidou, Port Salut, rendezvous, residue, retinue, revenue, Roh Tae Woo, seppuku, Shikoku, sneak preview, succès fou, switcheroo, talking-to, teleview, Telugu, thereunto, thirty-two, thitherto, Timbuktu, tinamou, twenty-two, view halloo, vindaloo, w, wallaroo, waterloo, well-to-do, what have you, whoop-de-do, witches' brew, Xanadu