A social class is a group of people who are similar in terms of their income, the kind of job they do, and their level of education, among other factors.
Social class is mainly about wealth, but it's also connected to status within society. While the lines between social classes have blurred in most societies, many people have a sense of belonging to the lower, middle, or upper class. In some countries, you are born into a certain social class with little ability to move out of it. In other places, striking it rich or graduating from college might propel you out of one class into a higher one.
Definitions of social class
noun
people having the same social, economic, or educational status
synonyms: class, socio-economic class, stratum
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types:show 40 types...hide 40 types... domain, world
people in general; especially a distinctive group of people with some shared interest
age classpeople in the same age range
agriculturethe class of people engaged in growing food
brotherhood, fraternity, sodalitypeople engaged in a particular occupation
estate, estate of the realm, the three estatesa major social class or order of persons regarded collectively as part of the body politic of the country [especially in the United Kingdom] and formerly possessing distinct political rights
labor, labour, proletariat, working classa social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
lower class, underclassthe social class lowest in the social hierarchy
bourgeoisie, middle classthe social class between the lower and upper classes
class consisting of all those who are considered boobs
commonality, commonalty, commonsa class composed of persons lacking clerical or noble rank
peasantrythe class of peasants
demimondea class of woman not considered respectable because of indiscreet or promiscuous behavior
underworldthe criminal class
yeomanryclass of small freeholders who cultivated their own land
castea social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank or profession or wealth
caste[Hinduism] a hereditary social class among Hindus; stratified according to ritual purity
upper class, upper crustthe class occupying the highest position in the social hierarchy
ninjaa class of 14th century Japanese who were trained in martial arts and were hired for espionage and assassinations
firing linethe most advanced and responsible group in an activity
immigrant classrecent immigrants who are lumped together as a class by their low socioeconomic status in spite of different cultural backgrounds
centerpolitically moderate persons; centrists
old schoola class of people favoring traditional ideas
marketthe customers for a particular product or service
people who perform a particular kind of skilled work
fair sex, woman, womanhoodwomen as a class
Lords Spiritual, first estatethe clergy in France and the heads of the church in Britain
Lords Temporal, second estatethe nobility in France and the peerage in Britain
Commons, third estatethe common people
fourth estatethe press, including journalists, newspaper writers, photographers
labor force, labor poolthe source of trained people from which workers can be hired
lumpenproletariat[Marxism] the unorganized lower levels of the proletariat who are not interested in revolutionary advancement
organized laboremployees who are represented by a labor union
petit bourgeois, petite bourgeoisie, petty bourgeoisielower middle class [shopkeepers and clerical staff etc.]
academe, academiathe academic world
Grub Streetthe world of literary hacks
jati[Hinduism] a Hindu caste or distinctive social group of which there are thousands throughout India; a special characteristic is often the exclusive occupation of its male members [such as barber or potter]
elite, elite groupa group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual or social or economic status
aristocracy, gentrythe most powerful members of a society
the class of people exerting power or authority
black marketpeople who engage in illicit trade
type of: people[plural] any group of human beings [men or women or children] collectively
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Social class is division in society where people share a common level of income, status, power and prestige as well as common values. You can have a look on socioeconomic status.
Cite this page: N., Sam M.S., "SOCIAL CLASS," in PsychologyDictionary.org, April 13, 2013, //psychologydictionary.org/social-class/ [accessed November 19, 2022].