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classless

classless

8 5.1
A society not divided into social classes where people are equal
  • adjective
  • /ˈklæs.ləs/
translation icon : sin clases
  • Human longing in our country should be for nothing more or less than "a classless and casteless America" (30).
  • classless society

Examples

  • Rousseau's insight was the foundation of Marx's and Tocqueville's critical analysis of the classless society of liberalism.

    Academic text (1992)
  • This is not a classless society.

  • Deliver on its promise of classless, harmonious human relationships.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Hegel is to be praised for focusing all human hope on the historical goal of a classless society.

    Academic text (1998)
  • In his eyes, communism stood for a classless society and a noncompetitive life.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Many people believe that a truly classless society is impossible to achieve.

  • The idea of a classless society promotes equality among all individuals.

  • In a classless system, everyone has the same opportunities regardless of their background.

Synonyms

egalitarian
vsclassless
20 7.6

Believing that all people should have equal rights and chances

describes a social system that lacks hierarchical divisions between people

Antonyms

36 6.7

Placed in levels with some people having more power than others

People divided into levels or classes with different status

How Classless

egalitarian
20 7.6
classless
8 5.1
unequal
23 3.0

Surface Forms

classless positive

Morphology

classless = class (transparent) = class + less

Meaning is directly derived from 'class' + the productive suffix '-less' meaning 'without', so learners who know 'class' and '-less' can infer the sense.

Etymology

Classless is simply class + -less, where class means 'group' or 'social level' and -less means 'without'. So classless literally suggests 'without classes' or 'no social levels', which is why it describes a society that aims for more equality.