elite
エリート
解説 Definition
elite は、社会や集団の中で特に優れた人々、または選ばれた上位の人々という意味です。日本語の「エリート」と近いですが、英語では個人だけでなく集団全体を指すこともよくあります。
The elite are the people considered most powerful, successful, skilled, or privileged within a society, organization, or field. The noun often refers collectively to a select upper group rather than to a single individual.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
elite は「一人の優秀な人」だけでなく、the elite の形で社会・組織内の「選ばれた上位層」を集合的に指します。語源はラテン語 eligere「選び出す」で、elect や select と「選ぶ」という核を共有します。the political elite、the company's elite のように、どの分野の上位集団かを示す語と結び付けましょう。
Connect elite with the idea of being selected from a larger group. Its history is related to the Latin verb meaning “to choose,” the same basic idea seen in elect and select. This explains why the noun often means a chosen or leading group. Remember that English commonly uses the elite collectively, as in the political elite, the business elite, or the elite of a company. Unlike the Japanese loanword, which may strongly suggest an individual with an excellent education or career, English elite can emphasize power, privilege, status, or exceptional skill across an entire group.
例文
The school trains the elite in science.
その学校は科学分野のエリートを育てています。
He joined the elite of the company.
彼はその会社のエリート層に加わりました。
The team includes the elite from many countries.
そのチームには多くの国から来たエリートが含まれています。
elite の類義語・関連語
elite の語源・成り立ち Etymology
elite はフランス語 élite「選ばれたもの」から入り、さらにラテン語 eligere「選び出す」にさかのぼります。ex-「外へ」+ legere「集める・選ぶ」で、「選び抜かれた人々」だから「エリート」です。関連語は elect, select。
Elite entered English from French élite, meaning “a choice or selected group.” The French form is historically connected with élire, “to choose,” from Latin eligere, also meaning “to choose or select.” Latin eligere combines elements associated with choosing out or gathering. The word consequently developed from the idea of what has been selected as best into a noun for a society's or group's leading members.
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