HOI-POLOI

The upper echelon of a particular group or of society. (ED, Garret: It has been pointed out that the original meaning of hoi-poloi is, in fact, the lower echelon of a society. I.e., the common people. The submitted definition seems to be a very common subversion of the original meaning, but that's what pseudodictionary is all about.) Example: The office hoi-poloi have organized an exclusive yacht party this weekend.