Where does “aristocrat” come from?
Aristocrat comes from French aristocrate, derived from French aristocratie, from Ancient Greek ἄριστος meaning "best," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂er-.
aristocrat (English): One of the aristocracy, nobility, or people of...
Definitions
- One of the aristocracy, nobility, or people of...
Ancestry of “aristocrat”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | aristocrate | aristocratic; aristocrat, noble |
| 2 | French | aristocratie | an aristocracy |
| 3 | Middle French | aristocratie | — |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | aristocratia | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἀριστοκρατίᾱ | aristocracy; the rule of the best; the rule of... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἄριστος | best (in multivarious contexts) |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éristos | fittest, most fitting, most suitable |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂er- | to fit, to fix, to put together |