aristocracy
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aristocracy
- /ˌæɹ.ɪˈstɒk.ɹə.si/ UK
- /ˌɛɹ.ɪˈstɑ.kɹə.si/ US
Rhymes with -ɒkɹəsi
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Middle French aristocratie, from Medieval Latin aristocratia, from Ancient Greek ἀριστοκρατίᾱ (aristokratíā, “the rule of the best“, that is, “the best-born”, “nobility”), from ἄριστος (áristos, “best, noblest”) + -κρατίᾱ (-kratíā), from κράτος (krátos, “power, rule”). By surface analysis, aristo- + -cracy.
noun aristocracies
- The nobility, or the hereditary ruling class. But when Nietzsche has the incredible lack of humour and lack of imagination to ask us to believe that his aristocracy is an aristocracy of strong muscles or an aristocracy of strong wills, it is necessary to point out the truth. It is an aristocracy of weak nerves.
- Government by such a class, or a state with such a government. How many false principles have been laid down, how much delusion supported, by reference to the glories of Athens and of Rome! It remained for a later time to observe that those so-called republics were but aristocracy in its most oppressive form; and what are now the people were then positive slave
- A class of people considered (not normally universally) superior to others.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: nobility, gentry, elite, peerage, wealthy, patriciate, patricians, nobles, aristocrats, seigneury, upper-class, highborn, lordship, magnates, aristocrat, aristarchy
Translations
Every language
noun the nobility or the hereditary ruling class
| Español | aristocracia |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 귀족정 gwijokjeong, 귀족 gwijok |
| 日本語 | 貴族 kizoku, 特権階級 tokken kaikyū |
| 中文 | 貴族 /贵族 guìzú |
| Português | aristocracia |
| Français | aristocratie |
| Deutsch | Aristokratie |
| Italiano | aristocrazia |
| Ελληνικά | αριστοκρατία aristokratía |
| Română | aristocrație |
| Русский | аристокра́тия aristokrátija, знать znatʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | chế độ quý tộc |
| العربية | أَرِسْتُقْرَاطِيَّة ʔaristuqrāṭiyya |
| עברית | אריסטוקרטיה aristokrátya |
noun government by such a class
| Español | aristocracia |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 귀족정부 gwijokjeongbu |
| 日本語 | 貴族政治 kizoku seiji |
| 中文 | 貴族政府 /贵族政府 guìzú zhèngfǔ |
| Português | aristocracia |
| Français | aristocratie |
| Deutsch | Aristokratie |
| Italiano | aristocrazia |
| Ελληνικά | αριστοκρατία aristokratía |
| Română | aristocrație |
| Русский | аристокра́тия aristokrátija |
| עברית | אריסטוקרטיה aristokrátya |
noun class of people considered superior to others
| Español | aristocracia |
|---|---|
| Português | aristocracia |
| Français | aristocratie |
| Deutsch | Aristokratie |
| Italiano | aristocrazia |
| Ελληνικά | αριστοκρατία aristokratía |
| Română | aristocrație |
| Русский | аристокра́тия aristokrátija, знать znatʹ |
Talk about this word "aristocracy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/aristocracy. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. aristocracy. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/aristocracy "aristocracy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/aristocracy.Cite this
@misc{aristocracy_2026,
title = {aristocracy},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/aristocracy},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
