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¹class

noun, often attributive \ˈklas\

: a group of students who meet regularly to be taught a subject or activity

: a series of meetings in which students are taught a particular subject or activity : a course of instruction

: one of the meetings in which students are taught a particular subject or activity

Full Definition of CLASS

a : a body of students meeting regularly to study the same subject

b : the period during which such a body meets

c : a course of instruction

d : a body of students or alumni whose year of graduation is the same

a : a group sharing the same economic or social status <the working class>

b : social rank; especially : high social rank

c : high quality : elegance <a hotel with class>

: a group, set, or kind sharing common attributes: as

a : a major category in biological taxonomy ranking above the order and below the phylum or division

b : a collection of adjacent and discrete or continuous values of a random variable

c : set 21

: a division or rating based on grade or quality

: the best of its kind <the class of the league>

: a data type in object-oriented programming that consists of a group of objects with the same properties and behaviors and that is arranged in a hierarchy with other such data types — compare object

See class defined for English-language learners

See class defined for kids

Origin of CLASS

French classe, from Latin classis group called to military service, fleet, class; perhaps akin to Latin calare to call — more at low

First Known Use: 1602

Related to CLASS

Synonyms: caste, estate, folk, gentry, order, stratum

Antonyms: gracelessness, inelegance

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

Rhymes with CLASS

ass, bass, brass, crass, frass, gas, glass, grass, lass, mass, pass, sass, strass, tasse, vas, wrasse

²class

verb

: to decide that (someone or something) belongs to a particular group

Full Definition of CLASS

transitive verb

: classify

See class defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of CLASS

1705

Related to CLASS

Synonyms: assort, break down, categorize, classify, codify, compartment, compartmentalize, digest, distinguish, distribute, grade, group, peg, place, range, rank, relegate, separate, sort, type

CLASSES Defined for Kids

¹class

noun \ˈklas\

Definition of CLASS for Kids

: a group of students who are taught together regularly <I'm the youngest in my class.>

: one of the meetings of students being taught <I'm late for class.>

: a course of instruction <a class in science>

: a group of students who graduate together <the senior class>

: a group of people in a society who are at the same level of wealth or social status <the working class>

: a group of related living things (as plants or animals) that ranks above the order and below the phylum or division in scientific classification <Birds and mammals form two separate classes in the animal kingdom.>

: a category (as of goods or services) based on quality

²class

verb

classedclass·ing

Definition of CLASS for Kids

: classify <“… I cannot be classed with ordinary insects …” — L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz>

Medical Dictionary

class

noun , often attrib \ˈklas\

Medical Definition of CLASS

: a group, set, or kind marked by common attributes or a common attribute; especially : a major category in biological taxonomy ranking above the order and below the phylum or division <the class Mammalia>