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elite

adjective

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L22980 on Wikidata ↗

noun

  1. group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual, social or economic status
L22981 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ɪˈliːt/ / /ɛˈliːt/ / /ɪˈlit/

adj

Etymology: From Middle English elit, from Old French elit, eslit (“chosen, elected”) past participle of elire, eslire (“to choose, elect”), from Latin eligere (“to choose, elect”), with past participle electus; see elect.

  1. Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.
  2. Representing the choicest or most select of a group.

    Not since Coventry in 1992 has a Premier League side kicked off a campaign with an all-English XI but things have reached the point where, of the 61 signings who have cost the elite division's 20 clubs a transfer fee this summer, only 12 have involved Englishmen.

noun

Etymology: From Middle English elit, from Old French elit, eslit (“chosen, elected”) past participle of elire, eslire (“to choose, elect”), from Latin eligere (“to choose, elect”), with past participle electus; see elect.

  1. A special group or social class of people who have a superior social or economic status and attendant power, advantages, or privileges in society; a member of such a group.

    constituting an elite

    the hubris of the elites

  2. An individual member of such a group.
  3. Someone who is among the best at a certain task.

    The Nations League results have also seen England respond to an ongoing criticism that they fail to beat the top sides, with even Southgate insisting they could not be considered among the world's elite until they beat the best. The World Cup did nothing to answer those questions.

  4. A typeface with 12 characters per inch.