toplofty

adjective

top·​lofty ˈtäp-ˌlȯf-tē 

variants or less commonly toploftical

täp-ˈlȯf-ti-kəl 

: very superior in air or attitude

toploftily

täp-ˈlȯf-tə-lē 

adverb

toploftiness

ˈtäp-ˌlȯf-tē-nəs 

noun

Did you know?

How many words do we need to describe those who seem to think they're better than the rest of us? By the 19th century we already had arrogant, haughty, and supercilious, but there was apparently need for more because by mid-century the language had garnered two others: toplofty and its variant toploftical. The source of these is likely the phrase top loft, which refers to the highest story of a building. Neither is common, but both are available to you should their synonyms prove too boring or obvious.

Synonyms

• arrogant
• assumptive
• bumptious
• cavalier
• chesty
• haughty
• high-and-mighty
• high-handed
• high-hat
• highfalutin
• hifalutin
• huffish
• huffy
• imperious
• important
• lofty
• lordly
• masterful
• overweening
• peremptory
• pompous
• presuming
• presumptuous
• pretentious
• self-asserting
• self-assertive
• sniffy
• stiff-necked
• supercilious
• superior
• uppish
• uppity

Example Sentences

those toplofty history professors who sneeringly use the term “popularizer” to describe any historian whose works are read with pleasure

Word History

Etymology

probably from the phrase top loft

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

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