Crachach (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈkraχaχ]) is a pejorative term used to refer to a perceived Welsh-speaking interconnected elite who control the arts, media, civil service and higher education sectors in Wales. The term translates as "petty gentry", "conceited upstarts", or "snobs", but has developed into a wider populist conspiracy theory. To some Welsh speakers, the term is offensive in meaning. Some writers have described it as "an attack on Welsh speakers".