What does elitism mean?
Elitism is the belief or practice that a small group of people — distinguished by wealth, education, talent, taste, or lineage — is inherently superior and therefore entitled to privilege, influence, or rule. The term names both a personal attitude of superiority and a broader doctrine holding that societies are best governed by such a chosen few. It is used most often critically: accusations of elitism are directed at universities, arts institutions, political classes, and professions seen as closed or condescending toward ordinary people. Because "elite" derives ultimately from a word meaning "chosen" or "elected," elitism carries an implicit claim about who merits selection and who does not. Its natural opposites include egalitarianism and populism, making the word central to debates about meritocracy, class, access, and cultural authority. Related forms include the adjective "elitist" and the noun "elitist" for a person holding such views.
The attitude, belief, or practice of regarding a select group of superior individuals as deserving of privilege, power, or exclusive status.
"The party's defeat was blamed on the elitism of its metropolitan leadership."
Almost always used pejoratively when describing attitudes or institutions.
Advocacy of, or governance by, such a privileged minority; the principle that society should be led by its most capable or best-qualified members.
"Political theorists debate whether elitism is an inevitable feature of any large democracy."
Rarely used in the plural; the uncountable singular is standard. A plural form may occasionally appear when contrasting different varieties or manifestations of elitism across contexts or eras.
"Historians have catalogued the various elitisms that shaped twentieth-century European politics."
The word "elite" comes from the same French root that gave us "elect" — so at its heart, elitism has always been about deciding who counts as "chosen."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of elitism
Elitism is formed from "elite," borrowed into English from French "élite," meaning the pick or choice of a group, which itself comes from Old French "elire" — from Latin "eligere," "to choose or select out." The suffix "-ism" marks it as a doctrine or system of belief. The word arose in English in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as social and political theory began describing rule by privileged minorities. It shares its Latin root with words like "election," "eligible," and "select," all built on the idea of choosing out from a larger whole.
Related word forms
How elitism is actually used
Elitism carries a strongly pejorative connotation in most modern usage — it is almost always levelled as a criticism rather than claimed as a self-description. It appears frequently in political and cultural commentary. In British English it is often applied to class-based exclusivity, while American usage more often targets academic, cultural, or coastal-metropolitan pretensions.
Easily confused with elitism
"Elitist" is primarily an adjective (or a noun meaning a person who holds such views) describing something characterised by elitism, whereas "elitism" is the noun naming the belief, attitude, or system itself.