lower-income

The compound adjective "lower-income" is a modern formation built from two established English words. "Lower" originates from the Old English comparative form of "low," which itself has Proto-Germanic roots related to being not high or of little amount. "Income" entered English in the Middle English period, derived from the sense of money "coming in" from one's work or investments. The logic of the compound is transparent and comparative: it directly describes a level of monetary earnings that is less than another, typically an average or median level, serving as a standard socioeconomic classifier.

Structure: lower (comparative degree) + income (money received) - lower: From Old English lāgra, comparative of lǣw (low). Functional role: comparative adjective modifying the noun. - income: From Middle English income, from in (into) + come (arrive). Functional role: noun, the entity being modified.