Learn English – word for someone who is biased, or prejudiced against, or who harbors contempt for poor people

word-request

What is a good word to describe someone who is like racist or class-ist or homophobic, but instead whom they don't like is don't like poor people?

I'd like a word that gets the point across with enough truth to be noticable, yet not necessarily be viewed as an attack.

Best Answer

The word you may be looking for is snob.

Someone who is a snob, thinks they are better than others (whether or not they actually are) and can be based on class divisions.

Ever since he bought that fancy new car, he's been a snob about his friends' old cars.

There are intellectual snobs, social snobs, economic snobs, the list goes on...

Another possible word is elitist.

His elitist views of an upper class leaves no room for social mobility.

but tends to be more class related.

A phrase which gets used to separate those who worship profits at any cost is

capitalist pig

and refers to persons who look to enrich themselves at the expense of the (relatively) less advantaged, they usually have a disdain (or no time) for those with less money than themselves. Think The Great Gatsby or The Wolf of Wall Street. Capitalists, especially Darwinian Capitalists, will tend to believe that their success is due to superiority in ability and those with less are of a lesser ability. This should not be confused with the Calvinist belief that earthly success is a sign of God's grace.

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