Preppie

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who adopts a lifestyle and fashion sense reminiscent of students from elite preparatory schools, emphasizing a certain social status
2. An individual who aspires to or reflects the characteristics associated with preparatory school students, particularly in style and demeanor
3. A person characterized by clothing and behaviors typically associated with elite prep schools, often indicating a privileged social standing

Etymology: "Preppie" is built from "prep" plus the diminutive suffix "-ie," the same ending found in words like "movie" and "hippie." "Prep" is itself short for "preparatory school," the private secondary school that prepares students for university, so the word carries a sense of belonging to that institution before it describes a style of dress. The suffix does most of the work here. Adding "-ie" to a clipped noun gives it a friendly, slightly affectionate tone, which suits a term for a fashion and lifestyle rather than a formal category. The same pattern produced "hippie," which likewise took a short base word and attached a familiar ending to name a group of people by their look and habits.

Synonyms: yuppie, sophisticate, trendy, fashionable, elite

Antonyms: outcast, underdog, loser, rebel, nonconformist