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

Barisone learned dressage during a middle-class childhood in far-upstate New York, and soon excelled at it. — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Brooks was instrumental in redeveloping the neighborhood into a suburban-like enclave for working- and middle-class Black Americans. — Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Noun

True economic success in 2026 isn’t about extracting the last dollar from a negative-margin middle class. — Katica Roy, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026

Unions built the middle class, and the middle class built this country. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 7 Sep. 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