cohort

noun

co·​hort ˈkō-ˌhȯrt 

1

: companion, colleague

… a few of their … cohorts decided to form a company …

—Burt Hochberg

2

a

: band, group

a cohort of supporters

b

: a group of individuals having a statistical factor (such as age or class membership) in common in a demographic study

a cohort of premedical students

the cohort of people born in the 1980s

c

: one of 10 divisions of an ancient Roman legion

d

: a group of warriors or soldiers

Did you know?

In ancient times, a cohort was a military unit, one of ten divisions in a Roman legion. The term passed into English in the 15th century, when it was used in translations and writings about Roman history. Once cohort became established in our language, its meaning was extended, first to refer to any body of troops, then to any group of individuals with something in common, and later to a single companion. Some usage commentators have objected to this last sense because it can be hard to tell whether the plural refers to different individuals or different groups. The "companion" sense is well established in standard use, however, and its meaning is clear enough in such sentences as "her cohorts came along with her to the game."

Synonyms of cohort

• associate
• colleague
• peer
• fellow
• friend
• buddy
• classmate
• accomplice

Examples of cohort in a Sentence

The police arrested the gang's leader and his cohorts.

Depression was a common problem for people in that age cohort.

Recent Examples on the Web

Interns will be part of a diverse cohort of students from top schools in the Midwest and across the country. —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, jsonline.com, 12 Nov. 2025

What is clear is that there are a new cohort of disruptors on the indie distribution scene, new players, large and small, trying to figure out what models can make the numbers work. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025

The word salad of an assessment, based on an overwhelmingly white and wealthy cohort, has since guided billions of dollars in investor capital and serves as a nearly-undisputed foundation for a mainstream understanding of popular culture. —Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025

Standout successes of these programs include Topicals and Eadem, both 2021 Sephora Accelerate cohort members. —Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin cohort-, cohors — more at court

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

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Kids Definition

cohort

noun

co·​hort ˈkō-ˌhȯrt 

1

a

: one of 10 divisions of an ancient Roman legion

b

: a group of warriors or followers

2

: companion sense 1, accomplice

Medical Definition

cohort

noun

co·​hort ˈkō-ˌhȯ(ə)rt 

: a group of individuals having a statistical factor (as age or risk) in common

the population consisted of two cohorts: 204 clearly exposed and 163 not exposed

—R. R. Suskind et al.