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

Elsa Luisa Maria Schiaparelli is born in Rome, the second of two daughters of a Neapolitan aristocrat, Giuseppa Maria de Dominicis, and Celestino Schiaparelli, a scholar from Piedmont who was appointed head of the Lincei Library in the Palazzo Corsini by King Victor Emmanuel II. —Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026

The Catholic king, James II, was bitterly opposed by the Protestant aristocrats, who feared Catholic domination and French influence. —David Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026

The sandwich and parliamentary democracy were made by English aristocrats and remade in America. —Dominic Green, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026

Their clients were from a higher economic and social bracket—aristocrats, industrialists, movie directors, record moguls, rock stars. —Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026

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