classism
classism Lexical Profile
classism Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Prejudice against or in favor of people belonging to a particular social or economic class, especially systemic discrimination against those of lower socioeconomic status.
"The sociological study examined how institutional classism limits access to higher education and career advancement for low-income students."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'classism' (prejudice based on social or economic class) with 'classicism' (adherence to classical artistic or literary principles from ancient Greece and Rome).
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in English in the 19th century from 'class' (from Latin 'classis', meaning a division of the Roman people by property) and the suffix '-ism'; its modern sociological sense of prejudice based on social class was popularized in the 1970s on the model of 'racism' and 'sexism'.