- (n.) A form a government, in which the supreme power is vested in the principal persons of a state or in a privileged order; an oligarchy.
- (n.) A ruling body composed of the best citizens.
- (n.) Government by the best citizens.
- (n.) The nobles or chief persons in a state; a privileged class or patrician order; (in a popular use) those who are regarded as superior to the rest of the community, as in rank, fortune or intellect.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). aristocracy. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/aristocracy/definitions/1975808 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "aristocracy" http://smartdefine.org/aristocracy/definitions/1975808 (accessed September 24, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, aristocracy, Smart Define, viewed 24 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/aristocracy/definitions/1975808>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "aristocracy" 27 May 2011. Web. 24 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/aristocracy/definitions/1975808> |