working-class

1 of 2

adjective

work·​ing-class ˈwər-kiŋ-ˈklas 

: of, relating to, deriving from, or suitable to the class of wage earners

working-class virtues

a working-class family

working class

2 of 2

noun

: the class of people who work for wages usually at manual labor

Examples of working-class in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Chicagoans are fiercely proud of their city's working-class reputation and Pope Leo - born here as Robert Francis Prevost - has a reputation in the Catholic Church for sticking up for worker's rights and the disenfranchised, something highly valued here. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 10 May 2025

But while Prevost made his debut in Chicago, his parents and two older brothers were already living just south of the sprawling city in a working-class suburb called Dolton. —Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 9 May 2025

Noun

For Catholic theologians, the significance of the name was evident, with the new pope tying himself to one of the foundational figures of modern Catholic social teaching, Pope Leo XIII, who advocated for the rights of the poor and working class amid profound economic change. —Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025

Among the visibly working class, the tabloids were more popular. —Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1833, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1757, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for working-class

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

Kids Definition

working class

noun

: the class of people who work for wages usually in manual labor

working-class adjective