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• first class
  first class

  noun

  the best, finest, or highest class, grade, or rank.
• first-class
  first-class

  adjective

  of the highest or best class or quality.

first class

¹ American  

noun

first classes plural

1. the best, finest, or highest class, grade, or rank.

2. the most expensive and most luxurious class of accommodation on trains, ships, airplanes, etc.

3. (in the U.S. Postal Service) the class of mail consisting of letters, postal cards, or the like, together with all mailable matter sealed against inspection.

4. British University. the group receiving the highest distinction in an honors course.

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first-class ² American  

[furst-klas, -klahs] / ˈfɜrstˈklæs, -ˈklɑs /

adjective

1. of the highest or best class or quality.

   a first-class movie.

2. best-equipped and most expensive.

   a first-class railroad car.

3. given or entitled to preferred treatment, handling, etc..

   first-class mail.

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adverb

1. by first-class conveyance.

   to travel first-class.

first class British  

noun

1. the class or grade of the best or highest value, quality, etc

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adjective

1. of the best or highest class or grade

   a first-class citizen

2. excellent; first-rate

3. of or denoting the most comfortable and expensive class of accommodation in a hotel, aircraft, train, etc

4. 1. (in Britain) of or relating to mail that is processed most quickly

   2. (in the US and Canada) of or relating to mail that consists mainly of written letters, cards, etc

5. education See first

adverb

1. by first-class mail, means of transportation, etc

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• first classes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of first class¹

First recorded in 1740–50

Origin of first-class²

First recorded in 1780–90

Explanation

If something is first-class, it's the very best. First-class seats on an airplane are the roomiest and most comfortable—and the most expensive. This adjective is perfect for describing the highest-quality version of something, from first-class stamps that get your letter to its destination faster to a first-class detective who relentlessly follows every single clue until the mystery is solved. First-class orchestras are highly accomplished, and a first-class moving company is unlikely to break your dishes while transporting them to your new house.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

first class first-class

She opened up the first class by holding up the book and declaring, “This is what the field of sociology is about.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Just over three-quarters of first class letters, or 75.7%, were delivered on time by Royal Mail in the year to the end of March, far off its target of 93%.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

“I will say the dog flew first class and I was back in steerage, but that’s fine. I’m not bitter about that at all.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026

I launched the first class in 2012 not knowing if I’d ever get to do it again.

From Slate ● May 27, 2026

I supervised twenty-one Okinawans in a machine shop and rose in rank from private first class to corporal.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

He scored 28,314 in his first-class career, including 7,041 for Nottinghamshire.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Sobers made his first-class debut for Barbados aged 16 and was capped by West Indies aged 17.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Frontier is rolling out more amenities, including first-class seats, as budget airlines struggle with rising costs and stronger competition.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

So now might be a good time to stock up on first-class “forever” stamps before prices go up.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026

In fact, no one looked closely enough at the children from the first-class car of the eight-thirty train to notice anything peculiar about them at all.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs