# elitism

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɪˈliːtɪzəm/ · frequency rank #45,354

## Definitions
1. The belief that a society or system should be run by an elite.
2. The superior attitude or behaviour associated with an elite.

## Etymology
From elite + -ism. First attested in the 1930s.

## Easily confused with
- **elitist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/elitism-vs-elitist)

## Common misspellings (10)
`eiltism`, `eliitsm`, `elitims`, `elitismm`, `elitissm`, `elitsim`, `elittism`, `ellitism`, `eltiism`, `leitism`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/elitism