upper-class

upper-class — adjective

1. relating to the wealthiest and most powerful social group in a society, or typic

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to the wealthiest and most powerful social group in a society, or typical of the way such people live.

Example

Felix grew up in an upper-class neighborhood near the coast in Maine.

upper-class + noun (neighborhood)

The school was famous for teaching upper-class manners to its students.

attributive: upper-class manners

Common collocations
  • upper-class family
  • upper-class neighborhood
  • upper-class background
  • upper-class values
Synonyms
  • aristocratic

    more specific — refers to families with noble titles or inherited rank, not just wealth

  • wealthy

    focuses only on having money, not necessarily on social rank or status

  • elite

    emphasizes being part of a select, powerful group, often through achievement as well as birth

Antonyms
  • lower-class

    describes the social group at the bottom of the class system

  • working-class

    describes people who do manual or industrial work for wages

Grammar Patterns

upper-class + noun

be + upper-class

Usage Note

Write with a hyphen (upper-class) when used before a noun as an adjective. Without the hyphen (upper class), it functions as a noun.

Common Mistakes

She comes from a upper class family.
She comes from an upper-class family.
use the hyphen for the adjective form.
The upper-class in this country is small.
The upper class in this country is small.
when used as a noun referring to the group of people, do not use a hyphen.

upper-class — noun

Word family

  • upper class
    nounB2
  • the upper classes
    noun (plural)B2
  • lower class
    nounB2
  • middle class
    nounA2
  • working class
    nounB1
  • class system
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all four terms describe people at the top of society, they emphasise different aspects. Aristocracy specifically refers to families with inherited noble titles (dukes, earls, barons) and is the most restrictive term — not all wealthy people are aristocrats. Elite is broader, covering people who are at the top in their field through wealth, talent, or influence; you can be an academic elite without belonging to the upper class. High society (or 'high society') focuses on social life — the parties, events, and circles that wealthy and famous people move in, regardless of whether they come from old money. Ruling class is political: it describes the group that holds the most power over government and the economy, which may overlap with the upper class but is not identical. For example, a self-made billionaire who donates to political campaigns belongs to the elite and the ruling class, but not necessarily to the aristocracy or the traditional upper class.

aristocracy ↗elite ↗high societyruling class

Common collocations

Nouns

  • upper-class family
  • upper-class neighborhood
  • upper-class background
  • upper-class values
  • upper-class manners

Phrases

  • born into the upper class
  • marry into the upper class
  • belong to the upper class
  • the upper class + verb (controls, dominates, owns)

Prepositions

  • into the upper class
  • from the upper class
  • of the upper class

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinEnglish

The word 'upper' comes from Old English 'upp' (higher in position), combined with 'class', which comes from Latin 'classis' (a division of the Roman people). The phrase 'upper class' was first used in the early 19th century during the Industrial Revolution, when society was increasingly described in terms of social classes rather than fixed ranks of nobility. The hyphenated adjective form 'upper-class' emerged soon after.