middle-class

1 of 2

adjective

mid·​dle-class ˌmi-dᵊl-ˈklas 

: of or relating to the middle class

especially : characterized by a high material standard of living, sexual morality, and respect for property

a typical middle-class family

traditional middle-class values

middle-classness

ˌmi-dᵊl-ˈklas-nəs 

noun

middle class

2 of 2

noun

: a class occupying a position between the upper class and the lower class

especially : a fluid heterogeneous socioeconomic grouping composed principally of business and professional people, bureaucrats, and some farmers and skilled workers sharing common social characteristics and values

Examples of middle-class in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Those 17,000 homeowners who received letters pay property tax at a rate ¼ to one-tenth what middle-class homeowners pay, full-time resident or not. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026

Usha Chilukuri was born in 1986 to Indian Hindu immigrants and grew up in an upper-middle-class San Diego suburb with her younger sister, Shreya. — Kate Andersen Brower, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026

Noun

Over the past seven years, the net worth of America’s poorest grew much faster than that of the upper middle class. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Earning a post-high school degree, whether an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree, is the single most common determinant in moving someone from low income to middle class. — Douglas A. Hicks, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1836, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1745, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for middle-class

• fiberglass
• fibreglass
• hourglass
• isinglass
• lemongrass
• martinmas
• orchardgrass
• overpass
• plexiglas
• plexiglass
• sassafras
• superclass

Kids Definition

middle class

noun

: a social class that occupies a position between the upper class and the lower class and is composed mainly of business and professional people, government officials, farmers, and skilled workers

middle-class adjective