ar ‧ is ‧ toc ‧ ra ‧ cy /ˌærəˈstɒkrəsi, ˌærɪˈstɒkrəsi $ -ˈstɑː-/ BrE AmE noun ( plural aristocracies )
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: French ; Origin: aristocratie , from Late Latin , from Greek aristokratia , from aristos 'best' + -kratia '-cracy' ]
[countable usually singular] the people in the highest social class, who traditionally have a lot of land, money, and power:
dukes, earls, and other members of the aristocracy
the landed aristocracy (=who own a lot of land)
⇨ ↑ upper class