The rich & super-rich

James Harbeck jharbeck at SYMPATICO.CA
Mon Jul 9 03:15:06 UTC 2007


"A-list" has been used in reference to actors (and sometimes
celebrities in general) for quite a while. A quick look at the OED
has a 1935 citation for it referring to debutantes, and then a 1976
one referring to movie actors (nothing in between except a 1963
reference to high-status prison inmates!). In general the cites are
all for actors or socialites/party-goers/social cimbers. I don't see
it in there as a reference directly to wealth, but it seems
reasonable enough as an extension.

James Harbeck.

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