De elite
Example: De elite bepaalde eeuwenlang de politieke koers van het land.
Definition
"De elite" refers to a small, privileged group of people in society who hold significant power, influence, or authority, especially in political or social contexts. For example, "De elite bepaalde eeuwenlang de politieke koers van het land" means the elite determined the country's political course for centuries.
Etymology
The term "de elite" comes from the French word 'élite', which originally meant 'the chosen' or 'the best part'. It entered Dutch and other languages to describe a select group distinguished by superior qualities or status. Did you know that the word 'elite' has been used since the 17th century to denote the upper class or ruling group?
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"De elite" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - History - (C1) - set 1", containing 99 commonly used words.
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