elite

elite

noun

Definition of ELITE

1

individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class <the winners of this science award represent the elite of our high schools>

Synonyms A-list, aristocracy, best, choice, corps d'elite, cream, crème de la crème, elect, fat, flower, illuminati, pick, pink, pride, priesthood, prime, royalty, upper crust

Related Words establishment, gentry, nobility, quality, society, top, top drawer, upper class; caviar (also caviare); who's who

Phrases cream of the crop, Hall of Fame

Near Antonyms commoners, herd, hoi polloi, masses, millions, mob, multitude, rank and file, unwashed

2

the highest class in a society <the country's elite owned or controlled most of the wealth>

Synonyms elite, gentility, gentlefolk (also gentlefolks), gentry, nobility, patriciate, quality, upper class, upper crust

Related Words A-list, beau monde, beautiful people, café society, Four Hundred (or 400), glitterati, haut monde (also haute monde), jet set, society; carriage trade, plutocracy

Near Antonyms commoners, (the) crowd, (the) masses, peasantry, peonage, (the) people, plebeians, plebs, (the) populace, (the) public, rank and file; bourgeoisie, middle class, working class; dregs, (the) herd, (the) mob, rabble, rabblement, riffraff, scum, trash

Antonyms proletarians, proletariat