parvenu

noun
UK: /ˈpɑːrvənjuː/
US: /ˈpɑːrvənuː/

  1. A person who has suddenly become wealthy or powerful, especially one who lacks the proper social background.

    1. He was a parvenu, eager to show off his new car.
    2. The old aristocracy looked down on the parvenu who had made his fortune in technology.

Synonyms

nouveau riche climber upstart
parvenu adjective

  1. Suggesting that someone is a parvenu, typically due to showiness or vulgarity.

    1. His parvenu tastes were evident in the lavish decor.
    2. The critic dismissed the painting as parvenu and lacking in genuine artistic merit.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "parvenu" is /ˈpɑːrvənjuː/ in British English and /ˈpɑːrvənuː/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "parvenu": nouveau riche, climber, upstart.

Example usage of "parvenu": "He was a parvenu, eager to show off his new car.". More examples on the page.