upper-class
/ˈʌpɚˌklæs/
This term carries a heavy weight of exclusivity and inherited privilege. It suggests not just the possession of money, but a specific set of cultural markers, manners, and social networks that separate a small elite from the rest of the population.
Depending on the speaker, the word can be descriptive and neutral or laced with resentment. In political discourse, it often functions as a critique of systemic inequality and the concentration of power within a hereditary or financial oligarchy.
Countable when referring to a specific individual within the group (an upper-class person). Uncountable when referring to the collective social stratum as a whole.
💬Casual Conversation
I'm literally manifesting an upper-class lifestyle so I can stop stressing over rent.
I'm literally manifesting an upper-class lifestyle so I can stop stressing over rent.
Get a grip. Maybe try actually studying for once?
Get a grip. Maybe try actually studying for once?
Meanings
Etymology
Formed from the combination of the adjective upper, meaning higher in position or rank, and class, derived from the Latin classis, which originally referred to a division of the Roman people based on wealth for military service. The compound term emerged in English to categorize social stratification during the industrial era.