third-class, noun

Forms:
Also 3rd class.
historical
During the apartheid era, a euphemism for the segregated facilities for Black commuters on trains. Also attributive (sometimes meaning ‘Black’).
1977 Sunday Times 24 July 15Our railway compartment, whether Native third class, ditto second class or first class coupe, cramped as these accommodations were, became a veritable salon.
1977 J. Sikakane Window on Soweto (between pp.40–41) (caption)Black commuters travel 3rd class.
1990 Frontline Mar.–Apr. 10I gird my loins for the right to travel third class, which I do not expect the conductor to lightly let a white family do...All the white applicants are allocated to bunks with no difficulty. Then there is one person left, the only coloured. ‘Nothing,’ says the conductor, ‘but you can travel third’.
1993 P. McMagh in Weekend Argus 14 Aug. 17You are swept towards them (sc. the turnstiles) by the river of third-class commuters.
During the apartheid era, a euphemism for the segregated facilities for Black commuters on trains. Also attributive (sometimes meaning ‘Black’).
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19771993

Browse Related Words

By Category

Apartheid
Transport

By Usage

euphemistic
historical
thick milk, noun phrasen. phr.third force, noun phrasen. phr.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English