elitist
favoring a select group as superior
Roots
- e- / ex-: out, out of, away, or forth
- lect / leg: choose, gather, read, or pick out
Other words with the lect / leg root
- eclectic: drawing ideas, styles, or sources from many places
- eclecticism: practice of drawing from many sources
- elect: to choose by vote
- election: formal choice by vote
- lecture: formal talk or lesson
- predilection: a preference or special liking
- select: to choose carefully from a group
Elite comes from choosing out; elitist treats the chosen few as above others.
The policy sounded elitist because it assumed only one kind of student deserved support.