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

the aristocrat of Southern resorts

—Southern Living

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

• blue blood
• gentle
• gentleperson
• noble
• patrician

Examples of aristocrat in a Sentence

could trace his lineage to an English aristocrat of the 17th century

Recent Examples on the Web

Christie’s is selling a fresh-to-market Frank Auerbach painting that was once owned by a British aristocrat who worked for the highly secret Y-Service during World War II. —George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 21 Feb. 2025

Dividend aristocrats could be a possible investment opportunity right now, said Kevin Simpson, founder and chief investment officer of Capital Wealth Planning in Naples, Fla. —Michelle Fox,darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 3 Feb. 2025

Between the windows, and also restored, is the family crest of Antonio Da Passano, the aristocrat who likely once occupied the house and who from 1675 to 1677 was the doge, or duke, of what was then the Republic of Genoa. —Jane Margolies, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025

In Shakespeare’s time, public theater brought people together to witness the power struggles among aristocrats, the tragedy of impulsive romances, and the twists of human folly—performed live before their eyes. —Gerui Wang, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

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