A blueprint or template that defines the structure and behavior for creating objects, specifying what data (attributes) and functions (methods) the objects will have. Classes enable code reuse and logical organization in object-oriented programming.
From Latin 'classis' meaning a division or group of citizens. Scientific classification systems used the term to group similar organisms. Programming adopted it in the 1960s to describe templates that group similar objects, maintaining the concept of categorical organization.
Classes are like cookie cutters - the cutter itself isn't a cookie, but it defines the shape of every cookie you make with it. One 'Car' class can create thousands of different car objects, each with their own color and speed but all following the same basic car blueprint!
“Class” in social and educational senses has intersected with gender, with women and marginalized genders often restricted to certain social classes or educational tracks. Discussions of “the working class” or “classy” behavior have frequently centered male norms while policing women’s behavior more strictly.
Use “class” carefully, specifying whether you mean social, economic, or educational context, and avoid gendered judgments about who is “classy” or belongs to a certain class.
["course","group","social stratum","category"]
When discussing class history or education, include how women and gender‑diverse people organized, taught, and studied despite class and gender barriers.
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