upper-class

1 of 2

adjective

up·​per-class ˌə-pər-ˈklas 

-ˈkläs

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the highest social class in a society

upper class

2 of 2

noun

: a social class occupying a position above the middle class and having the highest status in a society

Synonyms of upper-class

Adjective

• aristocratic

Noun

• aristocracy
• nobility
• upper crust
• gentry

Examples of upper-class in a Sentence

Adjective

upper-class boys who had an entrenched sense of entitlement

Noun

a popular pastime among the upper classes

a member of the upper class

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But by the 1520s, the birds were being raised in Spain and served on the dinner tables of the upper-class, Smith writes. —Natalie Escobar, NPR, 26 Nov. 2025

In one case, the life of an upper-class woman and contemporary of Julius Caesar, Clodia, saw her reputation destroyed by false claims of harlotry, home-wrecking, and husband-killing. —Time, 24 Nov. 2025

Noun

Following a magical 2023 campaign, Mizzou has continued knocking on the door of college football’s upper class. —Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 31 Oct. 2025

Demand for French porcelain tableware during the centuries that followed fueled the emergence of family-run firms and artisan workshops that shaped and hand-painted exquisite table settings for the growing upper classes. —Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1837, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1814, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for upper-class

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

Kids Definition

upper class

noun

: the highest class in society

upper-class adjective