arriviste
|ar-ri-vis-te|
/əˈriːvɪst/
social upstart / newly arrived, boastful
Etymology
'arriviste' originates from French, specifically the word 'arriviste', formed from 'arriver' meaning 'to arrive' plus the agent suffix '-iste'.
'arriviste' was borrowed into English from French in the late 19th to early 20th century; French 'arriviste' derives from 'arriver' (to arrive), itself from Old French 'ariver'.
Initially it meant 'one who has arrived' (literally a recent arriver), but over time it took on a pejorative sense of 'an upstart or social climber' and is now used chiefly in that critical sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who has recently acquired wealth or social status and is regarded as presumptuous, socially ambitious, or vulgar; an upstart or social climber.
The old-money families sneered at the arriviste who bought a mansion on their street and threw lavish parties.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/19 22:10