Noun / Verb A2 — Elementary /klɑːs/

Class — Definition, Examples & Pronunciation

A group of students, a lesson, a social rank, a category — one word with many lives in English.

Quick Definition

Class (noun) — a group of students who learn together; a single teaching session; a category of people or things sharing a common feature; a social division based on wealth, occupation, or birth. Class (verb) — to put something into a particular category or group.

What Does Class Mean?

Class is one of the most versatile words in English, carrying distinct meanings across education, society, and general classification. Its breadth makes it essential vocabulary for learners at every stage — from describing a school timetable at A2 level to discussing social mobility at C1.

In everyday classroom English, class most often means either the group of students itself ("a class of thirty pupils") or the lesson they attend ("a grammar class on Monday morning"). These two senses overlap naturally: you are both in a class (the group) and have a class (the lesson). The context usually makes the meaning clear.

Beyond education, class describes any set of things that share defining characteristics — a class of enzyme, a class of aircraft — and, in a social sense, the layer of society a person belongs to. The verb use (to class something) means to assign it to a category and is common in formal writing, legal language, and scientific texts.

Etymology

Class derives from Latin classis, the word used for each of the six divisions of Roman citizens established by the king Servius Tullius for military levy and taxation purposes. The Latin term probably comes from calare ("to call, summon"), referring to the calling together of citizens for assemblies. The word entered English via French in the mid-17th century, initially in the academic sense of a group of students learning together. The broader social sense — working class, upper class — grew prominent during the Industrial Revolution as writers and thinkers began mapping the new economic divisions created by factory labour and industrial wealth.

Example Sentences

SentenceLevelUsage note
Our class has twenty students and we meet every Tuesday. A2 class = group of students
I missed my English class yesterday because I was ill. B1 class = a lesson; common with miss / attend / have
The class practised relative clauses using real newspaper headlines. B1 class as collective noun with singular verb
Scientists have discovered a new class of antibiotic that resists mutation. B2 class = scientific category or type
The report argues that social class still shapes educational outcomes more than raw ability. C1 class = sociological division; academic register

Common Collocations

CollocationExample
attend classStudents are expected to attend every class.
miss classHe missed three classes and failed the test.
take a classShe decided to take a yoga class at the weekend.
teach a classHe teaches a class of advanced learners on Friday afternoons.
working classMany working-class families struggled during the recession.
first classShe graduated with a first-class degree in linguistics.
world classThe facility offers world-class training to young athletes.
class of studentsA class of thirty students sat quietly before the exam.
class as (verb)The substance is classed as a category-one hazard.
upper / middle / lower classThe survey covered voters from all class backgrounds.
Usage Notes

Noun — education: In British English, class and lesson are often interchangeable for a single teaching session, but lesson is slightly more common in primary and secondary school contexts, while class is preferred in adult education and university settings. American English uses class almost exclusively for both senses.

Collective noun agreement: As a collective noun referring to students, class takes a singular verb in American English ("The class was quiet") and can take either singular or plural in British English ("The class were excited" is natural in British writing). Both are correct in British usage.

Verb use: When used as a verb, class almost always appears in the passive: "It is classed as..." or "She was classed among...". Active constructions exist ("They class him as a risk") but are less frequent.

Compound adjectives: Hyphenate first-class, world-class, and working-class when they appear before a noun. Drop the hyphen after a linking verb: "the service was first class".

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

I was absent from the class of yesterday.

I was absent from yesterday's class. (use possessive, not "of")

The teacher teached the class very good.

The teacher taught the class very well. (irregular past tense; adjective vs. adverb)

She is classing as a professional athlete.

She is classed as a professional athlete. (passive voice is standard for this verb use)

My class has thirty students in it and we meet every day, the class is in room 4.

My class has thirty students. We meet every day in room 4. (avoid run-on sentences with a comma)

Related Words

lesson course group level subject study type sort social skill

Synonyms

lesson session group category division rank tier stratum

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Complete the Sentence Vocabulary Quiz Hangman

Frequently Asked Questions about “class”

What does the word class mean in English?
Class has several meanings. It can refer to a group of students taught together ('the whole class listened'), a single lesson ('I have a maths class at nine'), a category of things ('a new class of antibiotics'), or a social division ('the working class'). As a verb, to class means to categorise: 'The drug is classed as a controlled substance.'
What is the difference between class and lesson in British English?
In British English, a lesson usually refers to a single teaching session within a timetable, while a class can mean either the session itself or the group of students. You attend a lesson; you are in a class. Teachers in the UK often say 'I have a lesson at ten' rather than 'a class at ten', though both are widely understood.
Is class countable or uncountable?
Class is usually countable: 'three classes a day', 'the class was noisy'. When referring to social class in a general, abstract sense it can be uncountable: 'a matter of class'. The context makes the distinction clear.
How do you use class as a verb?
To class something means to put it into a group or category. It is often used in the passive: 'The building is classed as a listed structure.' You can also say 'class something as something': 'Doctors class this condition as chronic.' Avoid confusing it with classify, which is more formal and often used in scientific or official contexts.
What are common collocations with class?
Common collocations include: attend class, miss class, take a class, teach a class, join a class, working class, middle class, first class, world class, and class of students. These fixed combinations are used far more frequently than invented phrases, so learning them as chunks will improve your natural fluency.
What is the difference between class and course?
A course is a complete programme of study made up of multiple lessons: 'I enrolled on a six-week writing course.' A class is one session within that programme, or the group of people taking it. You complete a course; you attend a class. In American English, class is also used to mean the entire course, which can cause confusion for British learners.
What does first class mean in British English?
First class describes the highest standard of quality or accommodation. On trains and airlines it refers to the premium travel section. In British universities, a first-class degree (or simply 'a first') is the highest grade, awarded for marks of 70% or above. You can also say something is 'first class' to mean it is excellent: 'The food was absolutely first class.'
What is the origin of the word class?
Class comes from Latin classis, which referred to one of the six divisions of Roman citizens organised for military and taxation purposes. The word entered English via French in the 17th century, initially in the academic sense of a group of students. The social sense — working class, middle class — developed strongly during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries.
What is a world-class standard?
World class is a compound adjective meaning of the highest international standard. It describes athletes, facilities, products, or performances that rank among the best in the world. Note the hyphen when it comes before a noun ('a world-class athlete') but not when it follows a verb ('her performance was world class').
How can I practise the word class in English?
Use LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise to practise class in context, or the Flash Cards tool to test its different meanings and forms. Because class has multiple senses, try writing one sentence for each meaning — student group, lesson, category, social layer, and verb — to build flexible recall.