Lumpen
/ˈlʊmpən/noun
A German-derived adjective meaning shabby, ragged, or degraded; in Marxist usage, referring to the socially marginalized underclass.
Did you know?In Marxist theory, *Lumpenproletariat* literally means the “ragged proletariat,” and the *lumpen* element was treated as a dangerous social category, not just a style of dress.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*lumpaz
“a lump, clod, or irregular mass”
Middle High German
MHG
lump
“a ragged fellow, rogue, or scoundrel”
Early Modern German
German
Lump
“a rascal, ragamuffin, or shabby person”
19th Century
German
lumpen
“ragged, tattered, belonging to the lower, disreputable strata”
19th Century
German
Lumpenproletariat
“the ragged, marginalized underclass”
Modern English
English
lumpen
“shabby, degraded, or socially marginal, especially in Marxist contexts”