born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

Meaning

Adjective

• born rich, or into a wealthy family

Origin

• According to some, the original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. The converse was born with a wooden ladle.
• However, the phrase is first recorded as a Scottish proverb in the form "Every Man is no born with a Silver Spoon in his Mouth" (1721).