Word of the Day

: January 10, 2018

cohort

noun KOH-hort

What It Means

1 : companion, colleague

2 a : band, group

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

c : one of 10 divisions of an ancient Roman legion

d : a group of warriors or soldiers

cohort in Context

"A cohort of chambermaids would descend twice daily with mops, brooms, and fresh towels in tow." — Doone Beale, Gourmet, April 1989

"But among those aged 65 to 74 years old, more than three-quarters had registered and 70 percent voted—a proportion that dropped only slightly in older cohorts." — Paula Span, The New York Times, 28 Nov. 2017

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."