middle-class

1 of 2

adjective

mid·​dle-class ˌmi-dᵊl-ˈklas 

: of or relating to the middle class

especially : characterized by a high material standard of living, sexual morality, and respect for property

a typical middle-class family

traditional middle-class values

middle-classness

ˌmi-dᵊl-ˈklas-nəs 

noun

middle class

2 of 2

noun

: a class occupying a position between the upper class and the lower class

especially : a fluid heterogeneous socioeconomic grouping composed principally of business and professional people, bureaucrats, and some farmers and skilled workers sharing common social characteristics and values

Examples of middle-class in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Jackson gives you a whole clan of old-money Brooklyn Heights Stocktons, but the character who carries the thesis is Sasha, the middle-class New England girl who marries in and is instantly, permanently cast as the arriviste. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

With the 25th anniversary of the war’s start, my mind turns to Joshua Webster — 21 years old at the time, a 6-foot-4 Californian from a middle-class Catholic family. — Martha Raddatz, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2026

Noun

Fridkin added the residents are a mix of working, middle and upper middle class families. — Saige Miller, NPR, 4 Oct. 2026

Fazio’s says his proposal would send $2,000-plus annually back to middle class families by 2031. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1836, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1745, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for middle-class

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

Kids Definition

middle class

noun

: a social class that occupies a position between the upper class and the lower class and is composed mainly of business and professional people, government officials, farmers, and skilled workers

middle-class adjective