the.com/upstart

Ambition that skipped the line and refuses to apologize for it.

means A person who has risen suddenly in rank, wealth, or influence — especially one seen as pushy, presumptuous, or undeserving of the status they've grabbed.

from Straightforward 15th-century compound: 'up' plus 'start,' meaning to spring or shoot up suddenly, like a plant bolting out of the ground before its season. The word first described a sudden rise itself, then quickly curdled into an insult — the person who sprang up too fast, too far, without the pedigree or patience the old order thought they owed it.

origin
literally means jumped up suddenly, 1500s
connotation
always implies you did not earn it yet
irony
today's upstart is tomorrow's establishment
usage tell
only losers call winners upstarts
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