An aristocrat is a member of the highest social class in certain societies, usually someone born into a noble family with inherited wealth, land, and special privileges. For centuries in Europe, aristocrats were the dukes, counts, barons, and other titled families who owned vast estates, lived in castles or manor houses, and held power over the people who lived on their lands.

Aristocrats usually didn't earn their status through hard work or achievement. They inherited it, just like you might inherit your grandmother's jewelry or your father's last name. A child born into an aristocratic family automatically became an aristocrat, with many advantages that came with it: the best education, invitations to exclusive social events, and often a life free from ordinary work.

In countries like England and France, aristocrats formed a small, powerful group at the top of society. They made laws, commanded armies, and controlled much of the wealth, while common people farmed their land and served in their households. This system, where birth determined many of your opportunities in life, struck America's founders as profoundly unfair. They created a republic without inherited titles, where people were supposed to rise through their own merit and effort rather than their family name.

Today, aristocrats still exist in some countries, though most have lost their political power. The word can also describe anyone who acts superior or snobbish, as if they're too good for other people.