First Known Use: 1787
Dictionary
parvenu
noun par·ve·nu \ˈpär-və-ˌnü, -ˌnyü\
: a person from usually a low social position who has recently or suddenly become wealthy, powerful, or successful but who is not accepted by other wealthy, powerful, and successful people
plural par·ve·nus\-ˌn(y)üz\
Full Definition of PARVENU
: one that has recently or suddenly risen to an unaccustomed position of wealth or power and has not yet gained the prestige, dignity, or manner associated with it
— parvenu adjective
See parvenu defined for English-language learners
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Origin of PARVENU
Related to PARVENU
- Synonyms
- arriviste, nouveau riche, upstart
Rhymes with PARVENU
aperçu, avenue, babassu, baby blue, ballyhoo, barbecue, billet-doux, bird's-eye view, black-and-blue, buckaroo, bugaboo, callaloo, caribou, catechu, clerihew, cobalt blue, cockapoo, cockatoo, Cotonou, counterview, curlicue, déjà vu, derring-do, detinue, feverfew, follow-through, gardyloo, hitherto, honeydew, ingenue, interview, IOU, Irish stew, jabiru, Jiangsu, kangaroo, Kathmandu, kinkajou, loup-garou, Makalu, manitou, marabou, McAdoo, microbrew, midnight blue, Montague, Montesquieu, Mountain View, ormolu, overdo, overdue, overshoe, overstrew, overview, parvenue, pas de deux, passe-partout, pay-per-view, PDQ, peacock blue, peekaboo, peer review, petting zoo, Pompidou, Port Salut, rendezvous, residue, retinue, revenue, Roh Tae Woo, seppuku, Shikoku, sneak preview, succès fou, switcheroo, talking-to, teleview, Telugu, thereunto, thirty-two, thitherto, Timbuktu, tinamou, twenty-two, view halloo, vindaloo, w, wallaroo, waterloo, well-to-do, what have you, whoop-de-do, witches' brew, Xanadu
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