aristocracy
n. C / Un. a small group of people at the highest social level, often with special titles like 'Duke' or 'Baron'. These families usually have a lot of money and power that they pass down to their children.
n. a privileged social class whose members hold hereditary titles and high rank. Often used to describe the governing elite in a traditional monarchy or a group considered superior in a specific field.
The old aristocracy lived in large country houses.
During the revolution, the local aristocracy fled the country to escape the rising anger of the working class.
While the political power of the landed aristocracy has diminished over the centuries, their cultural influence and vast estates often remain intact through generations of inheritance.
Borrowed from Middle French aristocratie, from Medieval Latin aristocratia, from Ancient Greek ἀριστοκρατίᾱ (aristokratíā, “the rule of the best“, that is, “the best-born”, “nobility”), from ἄριστος (áristos, “best, noblest”) + -κρατίᾱ (-kratíā), from κράτος (krátos, “power, rule”). By surface analysis, aristo- + -cracy.
Uncountable when referring to the social class as a whole; countable when referring to a specific country's elite group.