Social class and attitudes to class

higher than is suitable for your position or rank

the type of family, social position, or culture that someone comes from

someone’s background, for example the social class that they originally came from, or their first job

if a particular action or activity is beneath you, you think that you are of a higher social class than people who do this

birth (noun)

your status or position in society according to your family or the place where you were born

bourgeois (adjective)

belonging to the class of people who are educated and own property, according to Marxist ideas

the bourgeoisie (noun)

the class of people who are educated and own property, according to Marxist ideas: can be followed by a singular or plural verb

class (noun)

one of the groups into which people in a society are divided according to their family background, education, job, or income

class (noun)

the existence of differences that cause people to be divided into different social groups

class-conscious (adjective)

influenced by a strong feeling of belonging to a particular social class and noticing differences between the classes

classism (noun)

unfair treatment of people because of their social class

classless (adjective)

not divided into social classes

classless (adjective)

not belonging to a particular social class

class struggle (noun)

according to Marxism, a situation in which rich and powerful people and working-class people compete for political and economic power

the common touch ()

the ability of someone important or powerful to talk to ordinary people and to understand what they are thinking

egalitarian (adjective)

supporting a social system in which everyone has equal status and the same money and opportunities

genteel (adjective)

lived in by rich polite people and not very lively, exciting, or modern

hierarchical (adjective)

a hierarchical society or organization is one in which differences in status are considered to be very important

hierarchy (noun)

a system for organizing people according to their status in a society, organization, or other group

inverted snobbery (noun)

British the idea that everything typical of the higher social classes is bad and everything typical of the working class is good

meritocracy (noun)

a system or society in which people have influence or status according to their abilities and achievements rather than because of the social class to which they belong

noblesse oblige (noun)

formal the idea that rich people from a high social class should help people who have fewer advantages

non-U (adjective)

Britishold-fashioned not typical of the upper class

populist (adjective)

representing the interests and opinions of ordinary people

snob (noun)

showing disapproval someone who thinks they are better than other people, usually because of their social class. This word shows that you do not like people like this.

socially (adverb)

relating to someone’s social class

society (noun)

relating to the parties, weddings, performances etc that rich and fashionable people go to

stratification (noun)

formal the division of a society into different groups

stratified (adjective)

formal divided into groups in society based on status

trickle-down (adjective)

relating to the belief that people at the lowest level of society or an organization always benefit from the money or advantages that people at the highest level have

Synonyms and antonyms of Social class and attitudes to class in British Thesaurus