parvenus

Parvenu, plural parvenus, is a term of social critique used for a person who has recently gained wealth or high social status and entered a formerly exclusive class. The word derives from the French parvenir, meaning “to reach” or “to arrive,” and in English conveys the sense of someone who has recently arrived in a higher social circle.

Connotation and usage: The term is usually pejorative, signaling ostentation or affectation more than achievement. It implies a lack of established cultural capital or familiarity with long-standing elite norms, and may indicate that the person imitates aristocratic manners or tastes to bolster their new position. Parvenu is closely related to, but distinct from, nouveau riche: both refer to new wealth, but parvenu emphasizes social climbing and aspirational display rather than wealth alone.

Historical and sociological context: English usage dates from the 18th–19th centuries in satire of aristocratic society. In modern sociology, the parvenu idea intersects with discussions of social mobility, cultural capital, and the tension between old elites and new entrants into their ranks.

Variants: The standard plural is parvenus; parvenues is encountered occasionally. In English, parvenu may be used for a person of either gender, with some usage treating parvenue as a feminine form. Related terms include social climber and nouveau riche, as well as broader discussions of cultural capital and status signaling.