Okuzeka
Sociology vocabulary · Class, Stratification and Inequality

Middle class

Meaning in sociology, with examples

nounCore term

In sociology, middle class means: The social class between the working class and the upper class, usually associated with professional, managerial and office jobs, higher education and moderate wealth.

In Turkish: orta sınıf

How it is used

Often used in the plural (the middle classes) because the group is very varied. Researchers distinguish the old middle class of small business owners from the new middle class of salaried professionals. It is hyphenated before a noun: middle-class parents.

Example sentences

  1. Middle-class parents often use their contacts to help their children find internships.

  2. Rising living costs have put pressure on the middle class in many countries.

Common collocations

  • the new middle class
  • middle-class parents
  • squeezed middle class
  • the middle classes
  • working classThe social class made up of people who mainly do manual, routine or service jobs for wages and usually have less income, job security and control over their work.
  • social classA large group of people who share a similar economic position, such as income, wealth, occupation and education, and often similar life chances.
  • cultural capitalNon-financial resources such as knowledge, tastes, ways of speaking and educational qualifications that give people an advantage in society, especially at school.
  • socioeconomic status (SES)A person's or family's position in society measured by a combination of income, education and occupation.

More terms: Class, Stratification and Inequality

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: