parvenue

/ ˈpɑːvəˌnjuː /

noun

1. a woman who, having risen socially or economically, is considered to be an upstart or to lack the appropriate refinement for her new position

adjective

1. of or characteristic of a parvenue

Word History and Origins

Origin of parvenue¹

C19: see parvenu

Example Sentences

Even her underpants, she found — the kind of white cotton briefs her aunt and grandmother wore — marked her as a parvenue.

From New York Times

On the other, Kim got away lightly in the parvenue stakes.

From The Guardian

Without counting that she might be demoralised by her new position, and add the mistakes of a parvenue to the foibles of the class into which she was admitted!'

From Project Gutenberg

He could see Olive's face flush under the selfish rudeness of the parvenue, but the girl, repressing her impulse to reply heatedly, remained silent.

From Project Gutenberg

Incessantly occupied with the ambition to appear a true aristocrat, in whom one could not perceive the parvenue, she had no room for other thoughts.

From Project Gutenberg