aristocrat
noun
Southern Living
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.
Examples of aristocrat in a Sentence
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2025
She's inspired by a real aristocrat and is the Guinness sibling's cousin.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
The film follows Farrell as Lord Doyle, a British aristocrat with an insatiable appetite for gambling.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
Ablin focuses on dividend growers, albeit with a shorter track record than dividend aristocrats, that are also high-quality companies.
—Michelle Fox, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aristocrat
Cite this Entry
“Aristocrat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aristocrat. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
aristocrat
noun
Share