non-elite

adjective

ˌnän-ā-ˈlēt How to pronounce non-elite (audio)
-i-, 
-ē-
: not elite
non-elite athletes
a non-elite college
non-elite noun
Within nations there exist hierarchies of minorities of elites (those who control resources and institutions) and large majorities of non-elites (ordinary citizens, who are poorer and less powerful). —John A. Booth et al.

Examples of non-elite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But these stereotypes still hold tremendous power for both elite and non-elite men. — Joan C. Williams june 13, Literary Hub, 13 June 2025 Even for non-elites, perks will be available just for participating. — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025 In many cases, the best student at a non-elite school will outperform the median student at MIT. — Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2026 Other studies of non-elite runners have found that faster runners tend to finish races more dehydrated than slower runners, contrary to the idea that dehydration slows you down. — Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 8 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for non-elite

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of non-elite was in 1937

Rhymes for non-elite

See All Rhymes for non-elite

Browse Nearby Words

nonelementary
non-elite
nonemergency
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Non-elite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-elite. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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