Plural of elitist; people who practice or believe in elitism and think that certain groups are superior and deserve more power.
From 'elitist' (a person who practices elitism), formed from 'elite' + '-ist' (one who practices). The term emerged as a criticism of those who hold elitist beliefs.
Interestingly, people rarely call themselves elitists—it's almost always an accusation, which means people defending elite systems have to find other words to justify their ideas.
The historical profile of an 'elitist' was almost exclusively male; elitism was defended and perpetuated overwhelmingly by men protecting male institutional monopolies. Gendered language around elitism often erases this perpetrator profile.
When naming elitists, avoid gendered language that obscures that most historic gatekeeping was performed by men. Specificity matters: 'male-dominated elite structures' is more accurate than neutral framing.
Women who demanded access to elite spaces were often labeled 'radical' or 'divisive,' while male gatekeepers framed exclusion as 'standards'—a rhetorical asymmetry worth naming explicitly.
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