elitism

Universal Words 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 elitist adjective: an elitist model of society * Universities are becoming far less elitist. * She accused him of being elitist. elitist noun