upper class

noun

1. a class of people above the middle class, having the highest social rank or standing based on wealth, family connections, and the like.

upper class

noun

1. the class occupying the highest position in the social hierarchy, esp the wealthy or the aristocracy

adjective

1. of or relating to the upper class

2. education of or relating to the junior or senior classes of a college or high school

Other Word Forms

• upper-class adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of upper class¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

A quick peek into butter’s rich history reveals that the humble dairy product was once a luxury reserved for the upper class.

From Salon

They were pushed by political leaders in South Korea as a high-tech modernist paradise, soon making them the most desirable form of housing for the middle and upper classes.

From Los Angeles Times

The Reichstag, or national parliament, was grossly gerrymandered in favor of the upper classes, and the government was not responsible to its lawmakers, but rather to a capricious monarch.

From Salon

It is, as she says, both appropriation of the trappings of the upper class and a challenge to the order they’ve subjected the world to.

From Los Angeles Times

Virgin Atlantic offers an “upper class” product that includes an in-flight bar area, and Emirates’ highest class boasts showers on board.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aristocracy 
• jet set 
• upper crust