# upper crust

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/upper-crust
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The social elite, the highest social class.

## Examples

- They act like they belong to the upper crust.
- The gala was filled with the upper crust of society, all wearing expensive jewelry and designer clothes.
- Despite his humble beginnings, he spent his entire life trying to gain acceptance among the city's upper crust.

## Origin

The term entered the English lexicon as a figurative expression in 1836. While folk etymology frequently asserts that the phrase derives from the practice of serving the top half of a loaf of bread to the social elite, the historical record for the idiom begins in the early nineteenth century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.