Standard Lemma guide

classism

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • General-American: /ˈklæsɪzəm/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Discrimination or prejudice that is based on social class, especially against those of lower social class.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kelh1-der. Proto-Italic *klāssis Latin classisder. Middle French classebor. English class Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English classism From class + -ism.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: طَبَقِيَّة (ṭabaqiyya) — discrimination based on social class
  • Arabic: تَمَايُز طَبَقِيّ (tamāyuz ṭabaqiyy) — discrimination based on social class
  • Catalan: classisme — discrimination based on social class
  • Chinese Mandarin: 階級歧視 /阶级歧视 — discrimination based on social class
  • Dutch: klassisme — discrimination based on social class
  • Finnish: luokkasyrjintä — discrimination based on social class
  • French: classisme — discrimination based on social class
  • German: Klassismus — discrimination based on social class
  • Italian: classismo — discrimination based on social class
  • Kapampangan: klasismu — discrimination based on social class
  • Polish: klasizm — discrimination based on social class
  • Portuguese: elitismo classista — discrimination based on social class
  • Russian: классизм (klassizm) — discrimination based on social class
  • Spanish: clasismo — discrimination based on social class
  • Tagalog: klasismo — discrimination based on social class
  • Turkish: sınıfçılık — discrimination based on social class