aristocracy

Overview

Meaning Now

• A form of government in which power is held by the nobility or a privileged ruling class.
• The group of people considered to be superior or elite, often due to hereditary title, wealth, or social standing.

Journey

In Classical Athens, the term 'aristocracy' described a governance model intended to ensure that the most capable and virtuous members of society held political power, as opposed to the 'demos' (people) or 'oligos' (few wealthy). Over time, the term shifted to denote hereditary elites, reflecting the historical concentration of land and titles.

Evolution

1. Ancient Greek

   aristos

   “best”

   Superlative form, likely related to arete (excellence).

2. Ancient Greek

   aristokratia

   “rule by the best citizens”

   Coined to contrast with democracy and oligarchy.

3. Middle French

   aristocratie

   “government by the nobility”

   Borrowed into French via Latinization.

4. 16th-century English

   aristocracy

   “the ruling class”

   Adopted into English to denote a system of power or a specific social tier.

Connections

Explore next

Related to aristocracy

• aristocrat→
• academy→
• apocryphal→