elitism

noun

elit·​ism ā-ˈlē-ˌti-zəm How to pronounce elitism (audio)
i-,
ē- How to pronounce elitism (audio)
1
: leadership or rule by an elite
2
: the selectivity of the elite
especially : snobbery
elitism in choosing new members
3
: consciousness of being or belonging to an elite

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web But the educational elitism and buy-in comes at the cost of accessibility. Hannah Summerhill, ELLE, 26 Aug. 2022 Ironically, anthropomorphism, or tactics like it, might be one way of reducing the harms of such rank elitism. Eleanor Cummins, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2022 Short films promote the poll’s avant-garde elitism: Meshes of the Afternoon, La Jetée. Armond White, National Review, 7 Dec. 2022 Through conversations with Dial, Arnett, curators and historians, the film also examined elitism in the art world. Shauna Stuart | Sstuart@al.com, al, 1 Dec. 2022 When it was announced that Abramovitz’s hall would seat fewer people than Carnegie, critics cried elitism. Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2022 Given their love for the finer things in life, Tauruses can sometimes project an air of elitism, Neptune explains. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2022 And to be honest about it, the sport is defined in its very essence by a sort of country club elitism that is antithetical to greater inclusiveness. Harry Edwards, CNN, 13 Sep. 2022 That’s certainly one argument for adopting an industry stance around inclusion rather than the exclusion that elitism implies. Tracy Ross, Outside Online, 30 Jan. 2019 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'elitism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of elitism was in 1934

Dictionary Entries Near elitism

Cite this Entry

“Elitism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elitism. Accessed 5 Feb. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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