WORD OF THE DAY
A parvenu is an upstart, somebody who's suddenly rich but doesn't fit into his new social status. If you're a parvenu, people might also describe you as "nouveau-riche" or an "arriviste." Maybe it's not quite so insulting in French.
The Beverly Hillbillies, a sitcom from the 1960s, featured the Clampetts, classic parvenus who strike oil in their backwoods swampland. They arrive at their mansion in Beverly Hills, dressed in overalls, in their pick-up truck, with their shabby furniture strapped on top. As parvenus, they don’t fit in — to say the least. Parvenu is from French, and it's the past participle of parvenir, "arrived."
Want to expand your vocabulary?
Get Word of the Day delivered straight to your inbox!
Vocabulary lists containing parvenu
Bonjour, vocabulary connoisseurs! Did you know that almost 30% of words in the English language come from French? Brush up on these common English words derived from French and show everyone that your vocabulary is the crème de la crème. Here are links to our lists in the collection: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6, List 7, List 8, List 9, List 10, List 11, Terms
After being falsely imprisoned, Edmond Dantès escapes, disguises himself as the Count of Monte Cristo, and seeks revenge. Learn these words from the 1888 translation by George Routledge and Sons.
Translated from the original Spanish by Gregory Rabassa, this classic of magical realism relates the saga of the Buendía family and the isolated town they founded in Colombia.
Drawing on both historical and scientific research, this book traces the evolution of human beings over tens of thousands of years.
With his characteristic wit, Bill Bryson recounts his five-month hike along the Appalachian Trail.
