second class
second class is the alternative spelling of second-class.
Noun
second class (uncountable)
- The second-lowest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, between tenderfoot and first class.
- A class of travel, inferior to first class, superior to third class.
- Allport's decision in 1872 to abolish Second Class on the Midland and effectively upgrade Third Class to the standards of Second, most notably with upholstered seating, sent shockwaves through the Victorian railway.2023 February 8, Conrad Landin, “Bon appetit: 150 years of railway dining”, in RAIL, number 976, page 47
- A class of postage with delivery times slower than first class.
Meaning of second-class
Adjective
second-class (not comparable)
- Of a standard or grade one level below the best.
- a second-class train ticket, second-class postage, a second-class honours degree
- Inferior in quality or standing.
- He complained he felt like a second-class citizen, but everyone felt put upon that day.
- Synonyms:
- second-rate
Forms of second class
| alternative form | second-class |
|---|---|
| alternative form | 2nd-class |
| alternative form | 2nd class |
Words formed from second class
Questions about second class
- What does second class mean?
- Second class means the second-lowest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, between tenderfoot and first class.
- What is second class the alternative spelling of?
- Second class is the alternative spelling of second-class.
- What part of speech is second class?
- Second class is a noun.
Words near second class in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: second class (page history and authors); second-class (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this entry: “second class.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/second_class. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.