arbiter elegantiae

noun

ar·​bi·​ter el·​e·​gan·​ti·​ae

ˈär-bə-tər-ˌe-lə-ˈgan-shē-ˌē

variants or arbiter elegantiarum

ˈär-bə-tər-ˌe-lə-ˌgan-shē-ˈa-rəm 

-ˈer-əm

: a person who prescribes, rules on, or is a recognized authority on matters of social behavior and taste

Word History

Etymology

Latin, judge of elegance

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined above

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