lower-class

1 of 2

adjective

low·​er-class ˌlō-ər-ˈklas How to pronounce lower-class (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the lower class
2
: being an inferior or low-ranking specimen of its kind
a lower-class theater

lower class

2 of 2

noun

: a social class occupying a position below the middle class and having the lowest status in a society

Examples of lower-class in a Sentence

Noun a member of the lower class
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Like many later Carnival celebrations, Venice’s affairs were marked by the widespread use of masks, which created a temporary feeling of equality between the ruling class and the lower classes. Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 The connection between these efforts slowly became clear; both ensured white power over the land while establishing a permanent lower class. Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2024 The proposal adds more than 100 teachers in fourth through sixth grades, Senate Education Budget Chair Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said, to help lower class sizes. Tcrain, al, 26 Jan. 2023 Parasite, Triangle of Sadness and The Menu are just a few recent films that have shifted the power dynamics away from the super wealthy and into the hands of those grubby lower classes, with sometimes deadly results. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2023 The rich are faring much better on absolute terms than the middle and lower class, by nature of being rich. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2023 The old money characters value family history, and those of the lower class have difficulty moving up. Isiah Magsino, Town & Country, 3 Sep. 2023 California New contract would raise average L.A. teacher salary to $106,000 and lower class size April 18, 2023 The district projects a positive ending balance for the next three budget years, although such projections involve a lot of educated guesswork. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2023 The variant version, Spider-Punk, first appeared in 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man No. 10 as an anarchist who brought the lower class together as the Spider Army to defeat President Osborn. Richard Newby, Vulture, 12 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lower-class.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1637, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lower-class was in 1637

Dictionary Entries Near lower-class

lower class

lower-class

lowerclassman

Cite this Entry

“Lower-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lower-class. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lower-class

adjective
low·​er-class
-ˈklas
: of, relating to, or being the social class ranking below the middle class
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