High in rank, status, or quality; used especially in French phrases adopted into English like 'haut cuisine' or 'haut monde.'
From Old French 'haut' and Latin 'altus' (high). This word is primarily used in English through French borrowings and appears in compound phrases rather than standalone English usage.
English borrowed 'haut' through French but never really adopted it as a standalone English word—we always use it in French phrases, making 'haute couture' sound sophisticated because we're literally speaking French, not English!
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