Fwd: "culturati, n." - Word of the Day from the OED

[Dave Monroe]

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Date: Sun, Mar 25, 2012 at 7:30 PM
Subject: "culturati, n." - Word of the Day from the OED
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Your word for today is: culturati, n.

culturati, n.
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌkʌltʃəˈrɑːti/,  U.S. /ˌkəltʃəˈrɑdi/
Etymology: <  culture n. + -ati comb. form.
Singular forms culturatus (modelled on Latin masculine nouns in -us)
and culturato (modelled on Italian masculine nouns in -o) are also
occas. attested.
  With pl. concord. Cultured people considered as a class; members of
a cultural elite.
1965 Washington Post 4 June a21/5 The New York culturati‥turned
out‥for an LBJ fundraising dinner.
1976 Listener 2 Dec. 722/1 The Festival of Britain inspires instant
recall in culturati.
1984  T. Wolfe in Harper's Mag. Oct. 61 There they were, devout
Christians at a New York art world event. The culturati and the
Christians were arranged at the tables like Arapaho beads: one
culturatus, one Christian, one culturatus, one Christian.
1986  J. Hobhouse November 171 Farther down, two black boys on moving
carpets of air glide for the culturati by the steps of the Met.
2000 Esquire Jan. 35/1 The yuppies and the culturati get fashionable
shows that suck up to them while members of America's underclass are
largely served by atrocious crap.

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