fifth estate

noun

1. any class or group in society other than the nobility, the clergy, the middle class, and the press.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fifth estate¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Rumours had been swirling about an investigation into the 82-year-old singer's background by the CBC's long-running documentary series, the Fifth Estate.

From BBC

“Our message was to embrace who you are; not care about what anyone else says; not be a coward, love life and accept yourself. People hated Doom Patrol,” Ms. Pollack told the publication Fifth Estate.

From Washington Post

Over time, Zuckerberg would acknowledge Facebook’s role as the “The Fifth Estate” — an entity as powerful as the government and media in shaping the public agenda, while at the same time trying to minimize the company’s role in dictating the acceptable terms of political speech.

From The Verge

Premiering as an episode of “The Fifth Estate,” the documentary caused a sensation in Canada and was later released in theaters, winning the Academy Award for best documentary feature in 1983.

From Washington Post

He worked at the Hamilton Spectator, the Toronto Star, and the Globe and Mail before launching his filmmaking career at “The Fifth Estate” in the mid-1970s.

From Washington Post