richsplain

richsplain

English

Alternative forms

• rich-splain

Etymology

rich +‎ -splain, after the pattern of mansplain.

Verb

richsplain (third-person singular simple present richsplains, present participle richsplaining, simple past and past participle richsplained)

1. (informal, derogatory) To explain to a poor person (as a middle-class or wealthy person) in a condescending manner, presuming the listener's inferior understanding.
   • 2016, Barbara Ludwiczak, "'What is the cry even of the Canadians?': Resistance towards Imperial Paternalism and US 'braggadocio' in Anthony Trollope’s North America", TransCanadiana: Polish Journal of Canadian Studies, Issue 8 (2016), page 191:

     It should also be acknowledged that Trollope “richsplains” to the Canadians but not to his English readers, who come from the upper or middle classes.

   • 2018, Anand Giridharadas, quoted in Erica Moody, "Enabling Inequality", Washington Life Magazine, October 2018, page 45:

     In this period of declining mobility and the American dream falling out of people's reach, rich people generally responded by richsplaining to them that all was well, that you were wrong about your own reality, things were getting better and you just had to sit down and shut up and lean in.

   • 2019, Anthony Montes, "Ellen Richsplains Friendship With War Criminal", Portland State Vanguard (Portland State University), 22 October 2019, page 13
   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:richsplain.