A person who hasrisen, climbed up, or has beenpromoted to a higher socialclass, especially throughacquisition ofwealth, privileges, or politicalauthority but has not gained social acceptance by those within that new class.
2001 January 31, Francis Wheen, “The whole truth about Peter's friends”, inThe Guardian:
But the favourite's power and influence provoke intense ill-feeling among other courtiers, who regard him as a sinister, usurpingparvenu with ideas above his station, or perhaps even a sorcerer.
Being a parvenu; also, like, having the characteristics of, or associated with a parvenu.
1903,Samuel Butler, chapter 66, inThe Way of All Flesh:
Loss of money is far the worst, then comes ill-health, and then loss of reputation; loss of reputation is a bad third, for, if a man keeps health and money unimpaired, it will be generally found that his loss of reputation is due to breaches ofparvenu conventions only, and not to violations of those older, better established canons whose authority is unquestionable.
2001, Norman Birnbaum,After Progress, Oxford University Press:
The Progressives were of the educated middle class, angry at the rule ofparvenu financiers and industrialists.
2003, Edith Grossman, chapter 1, inLiving to Tell the Tale, translation of original byGabriel García Márquez, published2002:
The majority of the adults, however, viewed Luisa Santiaga as the precious jewel of a rich and powerful family whom aparvenu telegraph operator was courting not for love but self-interest.
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