エリート

• 読み: エリート
• ローマ字: eriito
• 発音: /e.ɾiː.to/

意味

Elite; a person of superior ability or status. Often refers to top graduates or high-achieving professionals.

A loanword from French/English used as both a noun and adjective (エリートの). In Japanese, it specifically connotes someone from a prestigious university or in a high-status career path — エリートサラリーマン (elite businessman), エリートコース (fast-track career path). Can carry both admiration and subtle criticism of privilege.

例文

1. 彼は有名大学を出たエリートだ。
2. エリート意識が強すぎると周りから嫌われる。
3. エリートコースを歩んできた彼女が突然退職した。

使い方ガイド

場面: career, education, social commentary, business

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

Borrowed from French 'élite' via English. Entered Japanese during the Meiji era as Western education models were adopted. In Japanese usage, it narrowed to emphasise academic and career prestige specifically.

文化的背景

時代: Meiji period

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Upper class