# aristocrat

/ɝˈɪstəˌkɹæt/ (US) · /ˈæɹɪstˌɒkɹæt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/aristocrat
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 2. supporter of aristocratic rule

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

someone who believes that a small group of the 'best' or highest-ranking people should rule a country.

For teachers: an advocate or proponent of aristocracy as a form of government.

- In the debate, he spoke as an aristocrat who distrusted the will of the common people.
- The philosopher was a staunch aristocrat, arguing that only those with superior education and character should hold executive power.

### 3. cryptography

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of secret code where the spaces and punctuation stay the same as the original message.

For teachers: a simple substitution cipher in which the original word boundaries and punctuation are preserved.

- The puzzle page included an aristocrat for readers to solve using logic.
- Unlike more complex encryption, an aristocrat is relatively easy to break by analyzing the frequency of letters within known word structures.

## Examples

- The aristocrat lived in a large castle on the edge of the city.
- The local aristocrat donated a significant portion of his estate to the museum to preserve the town's history.
- While the political landscape has shifted, the aristocrat remains a symbol of a bygone era where social status was determined by lineage rather than individual merit.

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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.