aristocrat

noun

aris·​to·​crat ə-ˈri-stə-ˌkrat 

a-;

ˈa-rə-stə-

1

: a member of an aristocracy

especially : noble

an aristocrat by birth

2

a

: one who has the bearing and viewpoint typical of the aristocracy

b

: one who favors aristocracy

3

: one believed to be superior of its kind

… broadcloth, the aristocrat of clothing …

—B. A. Botkin and Alvin F. Harlow

Did you know?

Since aristos means "best" in Greek, ancient Greeks such as Plato and Aristotle used the word aristocracy to mean a system of rule by the best people—that is, those who deserved to rule because of their intelligence and moral excellence. But this kind of "best" soon became something you could inherit from your parents. The United States has no formal aristocracy—no noble titles such as baron or marquis that stay in the family—but certain American families have achieved an almost aristocratic status because of the wealth they've held onto for generations.

Synonyms of aristocrat

• noble

Examples of aristocrat in a Sentence

could trace his lineage to an English aristocrat of the 17th century

Recent Examples on the Web

From hot scientists to charming aristocrats to dancing princes, here are Bailey’s sexiest onscreen roles thus far. —Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025

That’s realized quite literally by the prolific Swedish actor Stig Järrel, who plays Satan as an aristocrat in a state of perpetual ocular discomfort due to Britt-Marie’s insistence on holding onto her virginity. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025

The actress’ dress hails from the spring 2026 ready-to-wear collection, which channeled the contemporary aristocrat, per Alex Wynne’s review of the collection. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2025

Set in the English countryside, the film uses the classic plot of a lower class criminal working his way up through the hierarchy in order to extract laughs from an ensemble of eccentric aristocrats. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see aristocracy

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for aristocrat

• magnificat
• acrobat
• autocrat
• automat
• bundesrat
• bureaucrat
• butterfat
• caveat
• chemostat
• copycat
• cryostat
• democrat

Kids Definition

aristocrat

noun

aris·​to·​crat ə-ˈris-tə-ˌkrat 

a-;

ˈar-ə-stə-

1

: a member of an aristocracy

2

: a person who has habits and ideas like those of the aristocracy

aristocratic

ə-ˌris-tə-ˈkrat-ik

a-ˌris-tə-

ˌar-ə-stə-

adjective

aristocratically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb