non-elite

adjective

ˌnän-ā-ˈlēt How to pronounce non-elite (audio)
-i-,
-ē-
: not elite
non-elite athletes
a non-elite college
non-elite noun
Within nations there exist hierarchies of minorities of elites (those who control resources and institutions) and large majorities of non-elites (ordinary citizens, who are poorer and less powerful). John A. Booth et al.

Examples of non-elite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For the premier membership, the annual price will increase from $550 to $650 for Alaska elite members and $650 to $750 for non-elite members in 2024. Stella Shon, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2023 JetBlue’s Mosaic elite members will earn 9 points per dollar on airfare booked through JetBlue Vacations packages, while non-elite TrueBlue members will earn 6 points per dollar. Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2023 These new, non-elite additions to campus adopted and adapted collegiate style, adding articles such as fatigues, which quickly became a prep staple: khakis. Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, The New Republic, 14 Aug. 2023 But those with elite status do earn more miles per flight than non-elite members of a frequent flier program. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2023 The athletes were further divided into two groups: elite (meaning they were ranked in the top 100 in Britain) and non-elite. Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 17 Feb. 2023 These latest application numbers draw attention once again to the widening divide between the standing of a few dozen wealthy schools and the thousands of non-elite college and universities that educate the majority of the nation’s students. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 1 Apr. 2023 But on the heartbeat counting test, elite athletes were once again significantly worse than non-elites. Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 17 Feb. 2023 The reality is that regardless of whether the Patriots starting QB in 2023 is Jones, Garoppolo, or some other non-elite entity, the roster around them requires upgrading. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'non-elite.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of non-elite was in 1937

Dictionary Entries Near non-elite

Cite this Entry

“Non-elite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-elite. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!