aristocrat
noun
Southern Living
Did you know?
Since aristos means "best" in Greek, ancient Greeks such as Plato and Aristotle used the word aristocracy to mean a system of rule by the best people—that is, those who deserved to rule because of their intelligence and moral excellence. But this kind of "best" soon became something you could inherit from your parents. The United States has no formal aristocracy—no noble titles such as baron or marquis that stay in the family—but certain American families have achieved an almost aristocratic status because of the wealth they've held onto for generations.
Examples of aristocrat in a Sentence
Elise Taylor, Vogue, 7 July 2025
The first half of S1 covered Morpheus/Dream's (Tom Sturridge) capture and long imprisonment by British aristocrat Roderick Burgess (Charles Dance) and later his son Alex (Laurie Kynaston).
—ArsTechnica, 17 June 2025
The aristocrats of Rome, many of whom fled to Africa, were shocked and angry; their sense of Roman exceptionalism had been shaken.
—Time, 27 May 2025
Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Funchal, Madeira A reference since 1891, the pink Reid’s Palace is a charming throwback to the days when sun-seeking aristocrats came to breathe the healing air, and when Winston Churchill made the hotel his island home.
—Ann Abel, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for aristocrat
Cite this Entry
“Aristocrat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aristocrat. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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aristocrat
noun
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