social climber

English

Noun

social climber (plural social climbers)

1. (derogatory) One who tries to improve his or her social standing, especially by means of obsequious behaviour.

   Coordinate terms: arriviste, careerist, nouveau riche, parvenu

   • 2012, Tonya Hurley, The Blessed, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 79:

     “Are you accusing me of social climbing!” she fumed, getting right in his face. “You are a social climber, my darling.” “They only call you a social climber if you're not good at it,” Lucy said, starting for the front door, checking her phone for what would be the last time as she exited.

Related terms

• social ladder
• social mobility

 

Translations

one who tries to improve his or her social position

Danish: karrieremager c, stræber c Finnish: pyrkyri (fi), kiipijä (fi) French: arriviste (fr) m or f, grimpeur (fr) German: Karrierist m Greek: αριβίστας (el) m (arivístas) Indonesian: panjat sosial (id) m Polish: karierowicz (pl) m, karierowiczka f Portuguese: alpinista social (pt) m or f, arrivista (pt) m or f Spanish: trepador (es) m, trepa (es), arribista (es) m or f

See also

• corporate ladder
• economic mobility
• monkey-branch
• upwardly mobile
• upward mobility