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patrician
This term carries a strong association with inherited status and an aura of effortless superiority. While it can describe genuine nobility, it often implies a certain aloofness or a polished, distant manner that separates the individual from the common populace. In modern usage, the word frequently describes aesthetic or behavioral traits—such as a specific way of speaking or dressing—that signal high social class, regardless of whether the person possesses an actual title of nobility.
Meanings
A member of the ruling class or nobility, specifically referring to the aristocratic families of ancient Rome.
"The patrician families held the most power in the early Roman Republic."
A person of high social rank, refined manners, or aristocratic birth in a modern context.
"He was born a patrician, raised in a world of private estates and elite boarding schools."
Characteristic of or belonging to the aristocracy, often implying a sense of refinement, elegance, or superiority.
"She spoke with a patrician accent that immediately signaled her upper-class upbringing."