aristocratic

adjective

aris·​to·​crat·​ic ə-ˌri-stə-ˈkra-tik How to pronounce aristocratic (audio)
(ˌ)a-ˌri-stə-, 
ˌa-rə-stə-
Synonyms of aristocratic
1
: belonging to, having the qualities of, or favoring aristocracy
an aristocratic family
aristocratic titles
2
a
: socially exclusive
an aristocratic neighborhood
b
: snobbish
3
: notably superior or excellent
In season she does an aristocratic lobster and asparagus salad with curry oil.—R. W. Apple, Jr.
aristocratically
ə-ˌri-stə-ˈkra-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce aristocratic (audio)
(ˌ)a-ˌri-stə-, 
ˌa-rə-stə-
adverb

Synonyms of aristocratic

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of aristocratic in a Sentence

the restaurant's cuisine is truly superb, but the maître d's aristocratic demeanor is a bit much an impoverished dowager who never lets people forget about her aristocratic origins
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When the Soviet Union auctioned off a collection from the aristocratic Stroganoff family in 1931, Goudstikker bought the Cranach. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Kumari plays Sahibjaan, born in a graveyard to a courtesan who was spurned by her husband’s aristocratic family. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 The new European aristocratic romance, which has its world premiere at international TV conference Mipcom tonight, ditches the fairy tale for a more realistic take on an ordinary girl who finds her prince. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026 Opposite the magnificent eighteenth-century Grand Théatre, the 150-room Regent Grand perfectly mirrors the aristocratic elegance of this lovely city, thanks to the exquisite interiors of designer Jacques Garcia. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aristocratic

Word History

Etymology

Middle French aristocratique, from Medieval Latin aristocraticus, from Greek aristokratikos, from aristokratia

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aristocratic was in 1596

Phrases Containing aristocratic

Rhymes for aristocratic

See All Rhymes for aristocratic

Browse Nearby Words

aristocrat
aristocratic
aristocratism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aristocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aristocratic. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All