Definition, synonyms and related words
plural of class
"After finishing his morning lectures, he spent the afternoon taking advanced coding classes to improve his skills."
In plain English: Classes are regular meetings where students learn from teachers.
"The school offers classes in art, music, and science for all students."
Usage: Use "classes" to refer to multiple distinct groups, such as different course sections or social categories. Do not confuse it with the singular "class," which denotes a single group or type.
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of class
"She classes herself as an expert on medieval history after spending decades studying rare manuscripts."
In plain English: To class something means to put it into a specific group or category based on its shared characteristics.
"The instructor will begin classes at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."
Usage: Use "classes" as a verb only when describing someone or something that categorizes items into specific groups, such as a teacher who classes students by ability. Avoid using it to mean attending school lessons, which should always be expressed with the noun phrase "take classes."
Derived from the Latin classis, originally referring to a division in an army or a category within a system, it entered English via Old French with the meaning of social strata or academic divisions. The plural form retains this sense of distinct groups based on rank, wealth, or subject matter.