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

And middle-class folks’ wealth grew at a higher rate than the top 1%. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

From then on, my brother and I grew up in upper-middle-class Delhi, surrounded by relatives. — Karan Mahajan, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2026

Noun

Even after the 1995 legislature created a new credit to offset a portion of local property taxes paid by the middle class, that group and the wealthy both paid very similar effective rates for most of the income tax’s first two decades. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026

Those leaving the workforce are both men and women, and the majority are ages 25 to 34, says Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union who specializes in the economics of the middle class. — Sarah Jackson jennifer Liu, CNBC, 2 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