middle-class
UK[ˌmɪdl ˈklɑːs]US[ˌmɪdl ˈklæs]
adj
Belonging to or characteristic of the social group between the upper and working classes, typically consisting of professional and business people.
n
The social group between the upper and working classes, especially consisting of professional and business people and their families.
Morpheme Breakdown
middle
class
middle
central
class
social rank
Etymology
The compound "middle-class" is a transparent English formation. "Middle" originates from the Proto-Germanic medjaz, carrying the enduring sense of a central point. "Class" entered English via French from Latin classis, which originally referred to a summoning or division of the Roman people, later solidifying into a term for social rank. The term emerged in the late 18th century as a socio-economic descriptor, logically combining the concept of an intermediate position ("middle") with a category of people ("class") to define the stratum between the aristocracy and the laboring poor. Its formation reflects a societal shift towards categorizing populations based on economic and occupational status rather than birth alone.
Analysis
Structure: middle (central) + class (social rank)
- middle: From Old English middel, meaning "equally distant from extremes, central." It functions as an adjective modifying the following noun.
- class: From Latin classis, meaning "a division, rank, fleet." It functions as the core noun, denoting a social or economic division.
Examples
They live in a comfortable middle-class neighborhood.
The tax cuts are aimed at appealing to middle-class voters.
She comes from a traditional middle-class family.