second-class

1 of 2

adjective

sec·​ond-class ˈse-kən(d)-ˈklas 

-kᵊŋ-

1

: of or relating to a second class

2

: mediocre

also : socially, politically, or economically deprived

second class

2 of 2

noun

1

: the second and usually next to highest group in a classification

2

: cabin class

3

: a class of U.S. or Canadian mail comprising periodicals sent to regular subscribers

Synonyms

Adjective

• inferior
• minor
• mean
• smaller

Examples of second-class in a Sentence

Adjective

a playwright who produced only second-class work when he turned his hand to poetry

it's only a second-class restaurant and not worth the high prices

Noun

The airline offers special services for travelers in first and second class.

She got an upper second class in English at Oxford.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But this analysis ignores the root cause of Puerto Rico’s population loss: economic stagnation driven by second-class political status. —George Laws Garcia, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025

Having second-class citizens of color in a country that touted its democracy and model as the best-in-the-world was a real liability during WWII. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 10 Aug. 2025

Noun

Newly promoted and newly in charge of at-sea extra-duty assignments, a second class sonarman in my division named Duff switched me from quarterdeck watch with the 9mm to line detail. —Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025

The second class is much smaller—court filings indicate somewhere between 21 and about 60 people—and demands monetary damages on account of voluntarily forfeiting prize money earned in a tennis tournament to comply with NCAA rules. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for second-class

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

Kids Definition

second-class

adjective

1

: of or relating to a class next below the first or highest class

2

a

: inferior entry 1 sense 3, mediocre

b

: deprived of wealth or social rank