parvenu

[ pahr-vuh-noo, -nyoo, pahr-vuh-noo, -nyoo ]
/ ˈpɑr vəˌnu, -ˌnyu, ˌpɑr vəˈnu, -ˈnyu /

noun

a person who has recently or suddenly acquired wealth, importance, position, or the like, but has not yet developed the conventionally appropriate manners, dress, surroundings, etc.

adjective

being or resembling a parvenu.
characteristic of a parvenu.

Origin of parvenu

1795–1805; < French: upstart, noun use of past participle of parvenir to arrive, reach < Latin pervenīre, equivalent to per- per- + venīre to come

OTHER WORDS FROM parvenu

par·ve·nu·dom, noun par·ve·nu·ism, noun

Example sentences from the Web for parvenu

British Dictionary definitions for parvenu

parvenu
/ (ˈpɑːvəˌnjuː) /

noun

a person, esp a man, who, having risen socially or economically, is considered to be an upstart or to lack the appropriate refinement for his or her new position

adjective

of or characteristic of a parvenu

Word Origin for parvenu

C19: from French, from parvenir to attain, from Latin pervenīre, from per through + venīre to come