NOUVEAU-RICHE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does nouveau-riche mean? 

• NOUVEAU-RICHE (noun)
  The noun NOUVEAU-RICHE has 1 sense:

1. a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class

  Familiarity information: NOUVEAU-RICHE used as a noun is very rare.

• NOUVEAU-RICHE (adjective)
  The adjective NOUVEAU-RICHE has 1 sense:

1. characteristic of someone who has risen economically or socially but lacks the social skills appropriate for this new position

  Familiarity information: NOUVEAU-RICHE used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NOUVEAU-RICHE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

arriviste; nouveau-riche; parvenu; upstart

Hypernyms ("nouveau-riche" is a kind of...):

disagreeable person; unpleasant person (a person who is not pleasant or agreeable)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nouveau-riche"):

climber; social climber (someone seeking social prominence by obsequious behavior)

junior (term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male)

Derivation:

nouveau-riche (characteristic of someone who has risen economically or socially but lacks the social skills appropriate for this new position)

• NOUVEAU-RICHE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Characteristic of someone who has risen economically or socially but lacks the social skills appropriate for this new position

Synonyms:

nouveau-riche; parvenu; parvenue; upstart

Similar:

pretentious (making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction)

Derivation:

nouveau-riche (a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class)