upper class

American  

noun

• upper classes
  plural

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

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upper class British  

noun

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

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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

Derived Forms

• upper-class
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• upper classes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of upper class

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

upper class

Rags-to-riches stories tend to be as fabulistic as tales designed to sell the upper class as fair and solicitous to the needs of working people, or amenable to Cinderella fantasies.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

“We talk about it a lot,” Grace said, “especially since now that the year is ending, our upper class that are graduating are going straight into conflict.”

From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026

Nearly two-thirds of people who consider themselves upper class or upper-middle class have $150,000 or more in annual household income, including 25% with incomes above $250,000.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

And Cooper's social circle now included some very upper class people indeed.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2025

Philby answers confidently, in the plummy tones of the English upper class.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• aristocracy
• jet set
• upper crust