noun
parvenu
Parvenu (noun) means someone who has moved up into a higher social class, usually by becoming rich or powerful, but who is not fully accepted by that class.
noun
1
Someone who has moved up into a higher social class, usually by becoming rich or powerful, but who is not fully accepted by that class.
"But the favourite's power and influence provoke intense ill-feeling among other courtiers, who regard him as a sinister, usurping parvenu with ideas above his station, or perhaps even a sorcerer."
— Francis Wheen, The whole truth about Peter's friends (2001)
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Etymology
Borrowed from French parvenu, past participle of parvenir, from Latin perveniō (“arrive, reach”). See also parvenue f
Synonyms
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Rhymes for parvenu
See all rhymes for parvenu →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of parvenu?
"parvenu" (noun) means someone who has moved up into a higher social class, usually by becoming rich or powerful, but who is not fully accepted by that class.
What is another word for parvenu?
Other words for "parvenu" include arriviste, upstart.
