underclass
/ˈʌndəklɑːs/ · un·der·class
noun
- The poorest class of people in a given society. The underclass in the city struggled with poverty and lack of access to basic services.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Did you know? The concept of the underclass was popularized by sociologist Herbert Gans in his 1995 book 'The War Against the Poor', which explored the social and economic conditions of the underclass in the United States. The term has since been widely used in academic and policy discussions to describe the most disadvantaged segments of society.