plural classes
often attributive
1
a
: a body of students meeting regularly to study the same subject
Several students in the class are absent today.
b
: the period during which such a body meets
c
: a course of instruction
is doing well in her algebra class
d
: a body of students or alumni whose year of graduation is the same
donated by the class of 1995
2
a
: a group sharing the same economic or social status
the working class
b
: social rank
especially
: high social rank
the classes as opposed to the masses
c
: high quality : elegance
a hotel with class
3
: a group, set, or kind sharing common attributes: such 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
: a collection of elements (such as numbers or points) : set sense 21
d
: a property of a geometric curve that is equal to the number of tangents that can be drawn to it through any point not on the curve
A curve is said to be of the nth degree or order when any right line meets it in n points and of the nth class when n tangents can be drawn to it through any assumed point.—
George Salmon
George Salmon4
: a division or rating based on grade or quality
a class B movie
5
: the best of its kind
the class of the league
6
: a data type in object-oriented programming that consists of a group of objects (see object entry 1 sense 6a) with the same properties and behaviors and that can be arranged in a hierarchy with other such data types
Synonyms
Examples of class in a Sentence
Noun
There are 20 students in the class.
Several people in the class are absent today.
This class is really difficult.
He will be teaching an American history class next semester.
The college offers classes in computer programming and engineering.
She is taking a class on psychology.
What classes are you taking this semester?
I have an English class this morning.
My class got out early today.
I have already missed two classes.
Verb
I would class that suggestion as helpful, so let's make a note of it.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebJanet Shamlian, CBS News, 23 Nov. 2023
But Council President Sean Elo-Rivera said the shortage of public restrooms affects more than the city’s homeless population, calling it a class issue that must be addressed.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2023
On Friday, classes were abruptly canceled when teachers did not show up to work.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Nov. 2023
According to Netflix, the musical comedy, which is released Tuesday, tells the story of the last year of elementary school through the eyes of the school’s class lizard called Leo.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 21 Nov. 2023
Homeless and mentally ill, Russell Fred Dunkley III is accused of attacking teachers and terrorizing a preschool class
Last month, a 43-year-old Maryland woman scrolling through her Instagram feed noticed a news story about an appalling attack on a public street.
—Omari Daniels, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
Viewers may well be trapped, wondering if the cause of the disappearance is, for example, supernatural, or product of down-the-centuries class struggle or lies elsewhere.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 21 Nov. 2023
Henri was one of us, born of the same soil—we might be somehow related—a class clown with a sunny disposition who was at the same time a serious scholar, richly accredited.
—Lucy Sante, The New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2023
Prospective students have until the end of the day Friday to register for classes.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023
Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2023
Sticky days and muggy days can be classed and quantified as those with dew points of 65 or above.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2023
The girls wore the mums for up to 12 hours — to class, to a pep rally and on through the game’s final whistle.
—Rachel Sherman, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2023
Finally, invite friends or coworkers to class with you.
—Christine Burroni, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2023
The number of injuries was also increased to 672, with 205 of them classed as serious.
—NBC News, 9 Sep. 2023
Six of those schools reported that at least one bus never showed up to take students to class.
—Molly Fellin Spence, Baltimore Sun, 6 Sep. 2023
And as schools struggle to get students to class, the funding for such extra support is rapidly running out.
—Betty Márquez Rosales, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2023
His company also alarmed industry veterans by declining to class the Titan, a routine inspection process that would have provided a layer of oversight.
—Isabelle Chapman, CNN, 23 June 2023
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Noun
New York City — Professional dancer Laura Kaufman forged a friendship for the ages at a dance class at New York City's iconic Steps on Broadway dance studio.
—Janet Shamlian, CBS News, 23 Nov. 2023
But Council President Sean Elo-Rivera said the shortage of public restrooms affects more than the city’s homeless population, calling it a class issue that must be addressed.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2023
On Friday, classes were abruptly canceled when teachers did not show up to work.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Nov. 2023
According to Netflix, the musical comedy, which is released Tuesday, tells the story of the last year of elementary school through the eyes of the school’s class lizard called Leo.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 21 Nov. 2023
Homeless and mentally ill, Russell Fred Dunkley III is accused of attacking teachers and terrorizing a preschool class
Last month, a 43-year-old Maryland woman scrolling through her Instagram feed noticed a news story about an appalling attack on a public street.
—Omari Daniels, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
Viewers may well be trapped, wondering if the cause of the disappearance is, for example, supernatural, or product of down-the-centuries class struggle or lies elsewhere.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 21 Nov. 2023
Henri was one of us, born of the same soil—we might be somehow related—a class clown with a sunny disposition who was at the same time a serious scholar, richly accredited.
—Lucy Sante, The New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2023
Prospective students have until the end of the day Friday to register for classes.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023
Verb
In cities like Chicago, Louisville and Tampa, where the school year starts in August, district officials have sent letters to parents asking them to drive their students to class or warning them that the first few weeks of class might be difficult because of a driver shortage.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2023
Sticky days and muggy days can be classed and quantified as those with dew points of 65 or above.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2023
The girls wore the mums for up to 12 hours — to class, to a pep rally and on through the game’s final whistle.
—Rachel Sherman, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2023
Finally, invite friends or coworkers to class with you.
—Christine Burroni, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2023
The number of injuries was also increased to 672, with 205 of them classed as serious.
—NBC News, 9 Sep. 2023
Six of those schools reported that at least one bus never showed up to take students to class.
—Molly Fellin Spence, Baltimore Sun, 6 Sep. 2023
And as schools struggle to get students to class, the funding for such extra support is rapidly running out.
—Betty Márquez Rosales, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2023
His company also alarmed industry veterans by declining to class the Titan, a routine inspection process that would have provided a layer of oversight.
—Isabelle Chapman, CNN, 23 June 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'class.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
French classe, from Latin classis group called to military service, fleet, class; perhaps akin to Latin calare to call — more at low entry 3
Phrases Containing class
Dictionary Entries Near class
Cite this Entry
“Class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/class. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
class
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a group of students meeting regularly to study the same subject
b
: the period during which such a group meets
c
: a course of instruction
d
: a group of students who graduate together
class of 1990
2
a
: a group or rank of society
the working class
b
: high social rank
c
: high quality : elegance sense 2
a hotel with class
3
a
: a group or set alike in some way
b
: a major category in biological classification that is above the order and below the phylum or division
c
: a grouping or standing (as of goods or services) based on quality
classless
adjective
-ləs
class
2 of 2 verb
: classify
Medical Definition
class
nounoften attributive
: 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
Legal Definition
class
noun
: a group of persons or things having characteristics in common: as
a
: a group of persons who have some common relationship to a person making a will and are designated to receive a gift under the will but whose identities will not be determined until sometime in the future see also class gift at gift
b
: a group of securities (as stocks or bonds) having similar distinguishing features (as voting rights or priority of redemption)
c
: a group whose members are represented in a class action
d
e
: a group of crimes forming a category distinguished by a common characteristic (as the use of violence or the requirement for a maximum penalty)
murder is a class A felony
More from Merriam-Webster on class
Nglish: Translation of class for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of class for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about class
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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