"one having high rank in a community," also "advocate of aristocratic government," 1789, from French aristocrate, a word of the Revolution, a back-formation from aristocratie (see aristocracy).
Entries linking to aristocrat
aristocracy n.
1560s, "government by those who are the best citizens," from French aristocracie (Modern French aristocratie), from Late Latin aristocratia, from Greek aristokratia "government or rule of the best; an aristocracy," from aristos "best of its kind, noblest, bravest, most virtuous" (see aristo-) + abstract noun from kratos "rule, power" (see -cracy).
In early use contrasted with monarchy; after the French and American revolutions, with democracy. The meaning "rule by a privileged class, oligarchy, government by those distinguished by rank and wealth" (best-born or best-favored by fortune) is from 1570s and became paramount 17c. Hence, the meaning "patrician order, the of hereditary nobles" (1610s) and, generally, "persons notably superior in any way, taken collectively" (1650s).
theocrat n.
1827, "a ruler in the name of God," from Greek theos "god" (from PIE root *dhes-, forming words for religious concepts) + -crat, from aristocrat, etc. From 1843 as "one who favors a system of theocracy." Theocratist was the name of a publication begun in 1828 "to maintain the essential relation which subsists between religion and politics," and might be used in the sense "one who emphasizes divine authority over reason and individual freedom and who explains social order as a revelation from God."