intelligentsia

[ in-tel-i-jent-see-uh, -gent- ]

plural noun

1. intellectuals considered as a group or class, especially as a cultural, social, or political elite.

intelligentsia

/ ɪnˌtɛlɪˈdʒɛntsɪə /

noun

1. the intelligentsia
   the educated or intellectual people in a society or community

intelligentsia

1. Intellectuals who form an artistic, social, or political vanguard or elite.

Word History and Origins

Origin of intelligentsia¹

1905–10; < Russian intelligéntsia < Latin intelligentia intelligence

Word History and Origins

Origin of intelligentsia¹

C20: from Russian intelligentsiya, from Latin intellegentia intelligence

Example Sentences

"I think the people who live here are a somewhat different community because it’s the intelligentsia," she says, "educated people who can’t live without the arts."

From BBC

Once identified among the intelligentsia as a “reformicon” hoping to shift a neoconservative GOP toward a pro-working-class direction, Salam had long curried liberal affection as “literary Brooklyn’s favorite conservative.”

From Slate

It wasn’t the conservative intelligentsia or the Catholic hard-liners, despite Vance’s self-pronounced conversion.

From Slate

It's disconcerting to realize that the right-wing legal intelligentsia is infected with Fox News Brain Rot all the way to the top.

From Salon

Well educated and intelligent, Navalny was nevertheless not part of the intelligentsia, a fact which only helped broaden his appeal.

From Slate

Related Words

• circle
• club
• company
• degree
• family
• grade
• league
• place
• position