elite
/ɪˈlit/adjective, noun
elite is spelled E-L-I-T-E: 5 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 25 times per million words in written English, the 3,612th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, elite means “Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in elite?
| Letters | 5: E-L-I-T-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 25 times per million words; the 3,612th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is elite?
Elite appears 25 times per million words in written English, the 3,612th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce elite?
- UK /ɪˈliːt/
- UK /ɛˈliːt/
- US /ɪˈlit/
Elite has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-elite.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with elite?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as elite from its last stressed vowel (/it/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of elite
- eliter comparative
- more elite comparative
- elitest superlative
- most elite superlative
- élite
- elites plural
- more élite comparative
- most élite superlative
- élites plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does elite mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.
- 2
Representing the choicest or most select of a group.
noun
- 1
A special group or social class of people who have a superior social or economic status and attendant power, advantages, or privileges in society; a member of such a group.
constituting an elite
- 2
An individual member of such a group.
- 3
Someone who is among the best at a certain task.
- 4
A typeface with 12 characters per inch.
adjective
- 1
Alternative spelling of elite.
noun
- 1
Alternative spelling of elite.
A hush had fallen over the élite in the ballroom, as a broad path was cleared for the throne. Lepold sat on it now, hands solidly on its arms, head high, face frozen.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Elite in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | élite, élitaire, d'élite |
| German | elitär, Elite-, Eliten-, Auslese- , Elite, Auslese |
| Portuguese | de elite , elite, escol |
| Spanish | élite , elite |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does elite come from?
From Middle English elit, from Old French elit, eslit (“chosen, elected”) past participle of elire, eslire (“to choose, elect”), from Latin eligere (“to choose, elect”), with past participle electus; see elect.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).