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
• mean
• minor
• second-rate
• secondary

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

Unfortunately, women have been denied equal citizenship, education, employment, voting rights, and deemed second-class citizens. —arkansasonline.com, 29 June 2024

In a similar spirit, during the 1960s and ’70s, the Black Panther Party refused second-class citizenship, creating national breakfast programs, health clinics, ambulance services, legal aid, schools and care programs to reject the void of public services available to Black Americans. —Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2024

Noun

This group is the second class of honorees since ACE's advent; the previous ceremony was held in 2022. —Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 28 June 2024

Erdogan considers citizens who are not outwardly conservative to be second class. —Soner Cagaptay, Foreign Affairs, 19 July 2016

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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