-ati

Also ‑erati.

Groups of people.

Latin plural adjectival ending ‑ati.

Early examples are Latin or Italian plurals, such as literati, well-educated people interested in literature (the plural of Latin literatus, acquainted with letters), or castrati, male singers castrated in boyhood (the plural of Italian castrato).

In recent years it has become a fashionable ending in popular journalism for groups of people with common interests or characteristics, sometimes with implications of triviality. Early examples were blends of English words with literati and it is as yet uncertain whether a genuinely new word-forming element has been created, or whether word coiners are working by analogy. Its vogue may end before its status becomes obvious.

Examples include digerati, people with expertise or professional involvement in information technology; glitterati (from glitter), the fashionable set of people engaged in show business or some other glamorous activity; soccerati, those closely interested in or involved with soccer.

Where the root does not already end in ‑er, it is common to insert it: fasherati, the set of people concerned with current fashion in clothes; other examples are poperati and neterati.