Aristocratic
adjective /ˌær.ɪ.stəˈkræt.ɪk/ — Of the highest social class; having refined manners
Definition
Belonging to or characteristic of the aristocracy — the highest social class — or having the refined manners, tastes, and bearing associated with it.
Beyond the definition
The quality of having never had to ask. Aristocratic bearing comes from generations of assumed authority — it produces a particular kind of ease that cannot be manufactured.
Origin & history
From Greek 'aristokratia' — 'aristos' (best) + 'kratos' (power). Rule by the best — or at least rule by those who define themselves as such.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She had an aristocratic disdain for effort — not laziness, but the conviction that things worth having should arrive naturally.
The house had an aristocratic carelessness — beautiful things used as if beauty were ordinary.
Aristocratic in manner doesn't require aristocratic in birth — it requires a particular relationship to entitlement.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Aristocratic” when the meaning fits your context: Belonging to or characteristic of the aristocracy — the highest social class — or having the refined manners, tastes, and bearing associated with it.
Synonyms
Antonyms
plebeian, common, vulgar
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Aristocratic" mean?
Aristocratic is adjective meaning: Of the highest social class; having refined manners. Belonging to or characteristic of the aristocracy — the highest social class — or having the refined manners, tastes, and bearing associated with it.
Where does the word "Aristocratic" come from?
From Greek 'aristokratia' — 'aristos' (best) + 'kratos' (power). Rule by the best — or at least rule by those who define themselves as such.