Elite
mid 18th century: from French élite ‘selection, choice’, from élire ‘to elect’, from a variant of Latin eligere (see elect). elite (sense 2) dates from the early 20th century.
wiktionary
From Middle English elit, from Old French elit, eslit(“chosen, elected”) past participle of elire, eslire(“to choose, elect”), from Latin eligere(“to choose, elect”), with past participle electus; see elect.
etymonline
elite (n.)
"a choice or select body, the best part," 1823, from French élite "selection, choice," from Old French eslite (12c.), fem. past participle of elire, elisre "pick out, choose," from Latin eligere "choose" (see election). Borrowed in Middle English as "chosen person" (late 14c.), especially a bishop-elect, but it died out mid-15c. The word was re-introduced by Byron's "Don Juan." As an adjective by 1852. As a typeface, recorded by 1920.
