elitism

American  

[ih-lee-tiz-uhm, ey-lee-] / ɪˈli tɪz əm, eɪˈli- /

noun

1. practice of or belief in rule by an elite.

2. consciousness of or pride in belonging to a select or favored group.

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elitism British  

/ ɪˈliːtɪzəm, eɪ- /

noun

1. 1. the belief that society should be governed by a select group of gifted and highly educated individuals

   2. such government

2. pride in or awareness of being one of an elite group

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Other Word Forms

• antielitism noun
• elitist noun

Etymology

Origin of elitism

First recorded in 1950–55; elite + -ism

Example Sentences

It also imbued the sport with an aura of elitism that has lingered to this day.

From Literature

Over time, the Meggers-Roosevelt dispute grew bitter and personal; inevitable in a contemporary academic context, it featured charges of colonialism, elitism, and membership in the CIA.

From Literature

I don’t say that from a place of elitism.

From Salon

She comes across as preaching to her peers rather than seeking converts, a whiff of Oxbridge elitism.

From Los Angeles Times

"It goes in line with this sort of academic elitism that for something to be serious, it has to be a Shakespearean tragedy," she says.

From BBC