lower-class

1 of 2

adjective

low·​er-class ˌlō-ər-ˈklas How to pronounce lower-class (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the lower class
2
: being an inferior or low-ranking specimen of its kind
a lower-class theater

lower class

2 of 2

noun

: a social class occupying a position below the middle class and having the lowest status in a society

Examples of lower-class in a Sentence

Adjective they were finally earning enough to get out of the lower-class tax bracket Noun a member of the lower class
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Thompson, Ha and Brownell also say that Season 4 will dive much more into the Regency era’s upstairs-downstairs class politics than previous seasons, due to Sophie being of a lower class than Benedict and the Bridgerton family, as well as the fairytale and forbidden love tropes. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025 And no, committing to lower class sizes won’t cut it. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2025 For the lower classes, the Reformation promised to break up not just the spiritual monopoly held by the Catholic Church but the entrenched feudal system that kept them oppressed. Michael Bruening, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025 For now, wartime payments and new privileges for veterans have benefited Russia’s lower classes, bolstering the regime’s base of support. Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for lower-class

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1637, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lower-class was in 1637

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Lower-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lower-class. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

lower-class

adjective
low·​er-class
-ˈklas
: of, relating to, or being the social class ranking below the middle class
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