/ eɪˈliːtɪzəm; NAmE ; ɪ-/ noun [ U ] (often disapproving )
1.
a way of organizing a system, society, etc. so that only a few people (= an elite ) have power or influence :
Many people believe that private education encourages elitism.
2.
the feeling of being better than other people that being part of an elite encourages
► elit·ist adjective :
an elitist model of society
She accused him of being elitist.
► elit·ist noun