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Elite vs Meritocracy - What's the difference?

elite | meritocracy |

As nouns the difference between elite and meritocracy

is that elite is a special group or social class of people which have a superior intellectual, social or economic status as, the elite of society while meritocracy is rule by merit, and talent. By extension, now often used to describe a type of society where wealth, income, and social status are assigned through competition.

As an adjective elite

is of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.

elite

English

(wikipedia elite)

Alternative forms

*

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.
  • Representing the choicest or most select of a group.
  • * 2013 , Louise Taylor, English talent gets left behind as Premier League keeps importing'' (in ''The Guardian , 20 August 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/aug/19/english-talent-premier-league-importing]
    • Not since Coventry in 1992 has a Premier League side kicked off a campaign with an all-English XI but things have reached the point where, of the 61 signings who have cost the elite division's 20 clubs a transfer fee this summer, only 12 have involved Englishmen.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A special group or social class of people which have a superior intellectual, social or economic status as, the elite of society.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=April 19 , author=Josh Halliday , title=Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised? , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage="Mujtahidd" has attracted almost 300,000 followers since the end of last year, when he began posting scandalous claims about the Saudi elite . In one tweet, Mujtahidd directly challenged Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd about his political history: "Did you resign or were you forced to resign from your post as head of the diwan [office] of the council of ministers?"}}
  • Someone who is among the best at a certain task.
  • * 1964 , " France's Culture Corps," Time , 7 Aug.,
    • Is there a nobler or more disinterested aim than to educate the cadres, the elites of tomorrow?

    Derived terms

    * global elite * power elite

    Related terms

    * elect * * elitism * elitist * * select * selection

    External links

    * * ----

    meritocracy

    English

    (wikipedia meritocracy)

    Noun

    (meritocracies)
  • Rule by merit, and talent. By extension, now often used to describe a type of society where wealth, income, and social status are assigned through competition.

    • Usage notes

    Though widely used as a term of praise, Meritocracy's Lab Rat, by Timothy Noah the term was original coined as a satire, and a critique of awarding educational achievement.

    Derived terms

    * meritocrat * meritocratic

    References

    English words suffixed with -cracy