classes

nounkind, sort, category
nounsocietal group, background
noungroup in school
verbcategorize

Synonyms for classes

noun kind, sort, category

Antonyms for classes

Word Origin & History

c.1600, "group of students," from French classe (14c.), from Latin classis "a class, a division; army, fleet," especially "any one of the six orders into which Servius Tullius divided the Roman people for the purpose of taxation;" traditionally originally "the people of Rome under arms" (a sense attested in English from 1650s), and thus akin to calare "to call (to arms)," from PIE root *kele- (2) "to shout" (see claim (v.)). In early use in English also in Latin form classis.

School and university sense of "course, lecture" (1650s) is from the notion of a form or lecture reserved to scholars who had attained a certain level. Natural history sense is from 1753. Meaning "a division of society according to status" (upper, lower, etc.) is from 1772. Meaning "high quality" is from 1847. Class-consciousness (1903) is from German klassenbewusst.

Example Sentences for classes

"I'd like to recite English in one of your classes, Emma," smiled Grace.

Between these two classes of students there prevails perpetual hostility.

Where it is most painful is precisely where it does most harm, among the classes we call professional.

There are many uneducated preachers who move the classes the clergy cannot touch.

You and every other boy in your classes ought to thoroughly ashamed of yourselves.

You, whom the century wants, belong to none of these classes.

Of all classes of our population the most vicious is that of the free colored.

But of all classes of foreigners the Irish are by far the most numerous.

In the classes above them the supernatural has been slain by the supercilious.

Are not these the classes which most require artificial training?