aristocracy

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aristocracy government by ‘the best’ citizens; political supremacy of a privileged order XVI; patrician order, nobles XVII. — (O)F. aristocratie — Gr. aristokratíā, f. áristos best; see -CRACY.
So aristocrat XVIII. — F. aristocrate (a word of the French Revolution). aristocratic XVII. — (O)F. — Gr. -ical XVI.

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