aristocratic
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to government by an aristocracy.
-
belonging to or favoring the aristocracy.
-
characteristic of an aristocrat; having the manners, values, or qualities associated with the aristocracy.
aristocratic bearing; aristocratic snobbishness.
adjective
-
relating to or characteristic of aristocracy or an aristocrat
-
elegant or stylish in appearance and behaviour
Other Word Forms
- antiaristocratic adjective
- antiaristocratical adjective
- antiaristocratically adverb
- aristocratically adverb
- aristocraticalness noun
- aristocraticness noun
- nonaristocratic adjective
- nonaristocratical adjective
- nonaristocratically adverb
- proaristocratic adjective
- pseudoaristocratic adjective
- pseudoaristocratical adjective
- pseudoaristocratically adverb
- unaristocratic adjective
- unaristocratically adverb
Etymology
Origin of aristocratic
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Greek aristokratikós “pertaining to aristocracy,” from aristokrat(ía) “rule of the best” ( aristocracy ) + -ikos -ic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Severus’ family was wealthy and aristocratic: They could afford to educate him expensively and expected him to pursue a career in public life.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
I didn’t realize it at the time, but there was also insecurity there: An American embarrassed by a rough, unsophisticated America, envious of Europe’s aristocratic polish.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
Born in 1942 to an aristocratic British family in Dorset, England, Douglas-Hamilton studied biology and zoology in Scotland and Oxford before moving to Tanzania to research elephant social behaviour.
From BBC • Dec. 9, 2025
“Under our ownership, the Daily Telegraph will become a global brand, just as the Daily Mail has,” said Chairman Jonathan Harmsworth, who is also known by his aristocratic title Viscount Rothermere.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025
The son of a New England farmer and shoemaker was being accused of aristocratic allegiances by an owner of slaves with vast estates, much of both inherited from his wife’s side of the family.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
