élégants

Élégants is a French term that operates as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, élégant describes something refined, stylish, or tasteful. As a noun, élégants designates people who exemplify elegance in dress, manners, or demeanor. The feminine forms are élégante and élégantes.

From Latin elegans, via Old French and Middle French into modern French, the word conveys refinement and selectivity. The plural noun form des élégants refers to a group in theoretical or historical contexts; a single person is un élégant, a woman une élégante.

In historical or literary contexts, "les élégants" can refer to fashionable or aristocratic circles, often contrasted with bohémiens or les sans-culottes, depending on the period. In contemporary French, the term is more commonly encountered as an aesthetic descriptor or in journalism describing fashion-conscious crowds. The value of élégance encompasses simplicity, poise, and balance, though connotations of social exclusivity may appear.

Related terms include élégance (noun), élégamment (adverb), and synonyms such as chic, raffiné, sophistiqué; antonyms include vulgaire and grossier. The word is closely tied to discussions of fashion, etiquette, and social comportment in French-speaking culture.