elite
/iˈliːt/ (bre, ipa) · /iˈliːt/ (ame, ipa) · /i-ˈlēt ē- ā-/ (ame, mw) · /eɪˈliːt/ (bre, ipa) · /eɪˈliːt/ (ame, ipa)
elite — noun
- elitesingular
- elitesplural
1. a small and powerful group of people who are at the top of society because they
a small and powerful group of people who are at the top of society because they have more money, influence, or education than the rest of the population
The country's business elite gathered at the annual conference in Taipei.
collocation: business elite / political elite / cultural elite
Members of the educated elite often send their children to the best universities abroad.
collocation: educated elite
Critics say the ruling elite has grown rich while ordinary citizens struggle.
Nala was born into the cultural elite; her parents were famous artists and writers.
Local elite families have controlled the region's politics for over fifty years.
- upper class
broader term that includes inherited social standing, not just power or achievement
- aristocracy
historically refers to people of noble birth and hereditary titles, narrower than elite
- cream
informal metaphor for the very best part of a group, e.g. 'the cream of the crop'
- the masses
the ordinary people in society, seen as a large undifferentiated group
- the general public
neutral term for all ordinary people, without political nuance
文法句型
the + [adjective] + elite
member(s) of the elite
用法筆記
Frequently used with an adjective specifying the type: political elite, business elite, cultural elite, ruling elite. The noun can take either a singular or a plural verb (the elite is / the elite are), depending on whether the group is seen as a unit or as individuals.
常見錯誤
elite — adjective
- elitepositive
- more elitecomparative
- most elitesuperlative
1. describing people, institutions, or things that belong to the small, powerful gr
describing people, institutions, or things that belong to the small, powerful group at the top of society, having more wealth, education, or influence than others
Caleb attended an elite private school where tuition costs were extremely high.
collocation: elite private school / elite university
The university has a reputation as one of the world's elite research institutions.
collocation: elite research institution
Only members of elite social clubs were invited to the charity dinner.
Rin's family belonged to the elite class that dominated the city's legal profession.
These elite military units receive the most advanced combat training in the world.
- privileged
emphasizes the advantages received rather than the group itself; slightly more critical in tone
- exclusive
focuses on restricted access rather than social power, e.g. 'an exclusive club'
- top
simpler and broader, used across many contexts from schools to rankings
文法句型
elite + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun — you can say 'an elite school' but not 'this school is elite' in standard usage. The adjective does not have comparative or superlative forms (no *eliter or *elitest).
常見錯誤
2. being among the very best performers in a competitive area such as sports, busin
being among the very best performers in a competitive area such as sports, business, or the arts, where only a few reach this standard
Lakan trained from age six to become an elite athlete who competed internationally.
collocation: elite athlete / elite runner
Only elite runners can complete a marathon in under two hours and fifteen minutes.
Mateo was recruited by an elite law firm right after finishing law school.
The competition is open only to elite dancers who have won national awards.
Joshua's ranking placed him among the elite competitors in the national physics contest.
- top-tier
slightly informal; emphasizes position in a ranking or hierarchy
- first-rate
focuses on quality and excellence rather than competitive ranking
- world-class
implies recognition at an international level, stronger than 'elite' in some contexts
- average
describes a typical or middle level of ability, not outstanding
- second-rate
describes something below the highest standard, often with a critical tone
文法句型
elite + noun
用法筆記
Common in sports contexts (elite athlete, elite runner) but also used for business (elite law firm), the arts (elite dancer), and academia (elite competitor). Distinguish from sense 1: an 'elite university' means it has high social status; an 'elite athlete' means the person performs at the highest level.