underclass
underclass Lexical Profile
underclass Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The lowest social stratum in a country or community, consisting of people who experience persistent poverty, chronic unemployment, and social marginalization.
"Sociologists examined how the decline of manufacturing jobs created an urban underclass with limited upward mobility."
American A freshman or sophomore class at a secondary school, college, or university.
"Members of the sophomore underclass will register for their spring semester courses next Tuesday."
Word Nuance & Usage
In sociology and political discourse, 'underclass' can carry pejorative or stigmatizing connotations if used to imply that marginalized groups are culturally responsible for their poverty; more neutral alternatives like 'disadvantaged populations' or 'low-income communities' are often preferred.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Introduced into English in the early 1960s by the Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal as a loan translation of the Swedish word 'underklass', used to describe populations marginalized by post-industrial economic shifts.