parvenu

noun

par·​ve·​nu ˈpär-və-ˌnü 

-ˌnyü

plural parvenus ˈpär-və-ˌn(y)üz 

: one that has recently or suddenly risen to an unaccustomed position of wealth or power and has not yet gained the prestige, dignity, or manner associated with it

parvenu adjective

Did you know?

French has been generous in providing us with terms for obscure folks who suddenly strike it rich. In addition to parvenu, French has loaned us nouveau riche, arriviste, and roturier, all of which can describe a rich person of plebeian origins, especially one who is a bit snobby. Those colorful and slightly disparaging terms for the newly moneyed clearly show their French heritage, but it may be harder to see the French background of a term Massachusetts locals once used for coastal merchants made rich through the fishing trade: codfish aristocracy. Codfish comes from Middle English (beyond that its origin is a mystery), but aristocracy passed into English via Middle French (it is ultimately from Greek aristos, meaning "best").

Synonyms

• arriviste
• nouveau riche
• upstart

Examples of parvenu in a Sentence

the kind of trophy house that a parvenu buys to prove to people, and to himself, that he has indeed arrived

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1952, backed by little more than his reputation as a war hero and a fortune staked by his parvenu father, 35-year-old John F. Kennedy swiped a Senate seat from Republican Henry Cabot Lodge, himself a wealthy combat veteran. —Kevin Mahnken, The New Republic, 1 Sep. 2020

Raveendran, at least on paper, assumes his place among those parvenus thanks to his effort in internet education. —Saritha Rai, Fortune, 29 July 2019

Well, rejecting the pretensions of the peacocking parvenu is one of the sweetest pleasures left to the fallen aristocrat. —Lili Anolik, Vanities, 19 June 2017

Word History

Etymology

French, from past participle of parvenir to arrive, from Latin pervenire, from per through + venire to come — more at for, come

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined above

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