Vol. 09 · Loanwords ·French ·1820s
Elite
from élite
- Meaning
- The most select or powerful group.
- Source word
- élite
- Route into English
- French *élite* (the chosen, past participle of *élire*) → English. The political sense ("the elite") is much older than the marketing sense ("elite membership"); both come from the same word.
- Arrived
- 1820s
From French
Beyond the Norman conquest's Old French foundation, English kept borrowing from French for art, cuisine, fashion, and diplomacy throughout the modern period.
English borrows.
Browse the full loanword atlas or explore another source language.