socioeconomic status

[ soh-see-oh-ek-uh-nom-ik stey-tuhs, stat-uhs, ‐ee-kuh‐, soh-shee-oh‐, soh‐ ]

noun
  1. the position or standing of a person or group in a society as determined by a combination of social and economic factors that affect access to education and other resources crucial to an individual’s upward mobility: Low socioeconomic status is linked to many health risks, including cardiovascular disease.Abbreviation: SES

Origin of socioeconomic status

1
First recorded in 1935–40

Words Nearby socioeconomic status

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use socioeconomic status in a sentence

Cultural definitions for socioeconomic status

socioeconomic status

An individual's or group's position within a hierarchical social structure. Socioeconomic status depends on a combination of variables, including occupation, education, income, wealth, and place of residence. Sociologists often use socioeconomic status as a means of predicting behavior.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.