classroom

American  

[klas-room, -room, klahs-] / ˈklæsˌrum, -ˌrʊm, ˈklɑs- /

noun

• classrooms
  plural

1. a room, as in a school or college, in which classes are held.

2. any place where one learns or gains experience.

   The sea is the sailor's classroom.

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classroom British  

/ ˈklɑːsˌruːm, -ˌrʊm /

noun

1. a room in which classes are conducted, esp in a school or college

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Usage

What does classroom mean? A classroom is traditionally a room in a school where a class is taught. The word classroom is commonly used to refer to such a room at every level of education, including elementary school, high school, and college. It can also be used in a more general way to refer to any space where students are being taught by a teacher. Some classrooms might not even be in a room—some schools have outdoor classrooms where students are taught outside, for example. The word is sometimes used in a figurative way to refer to the primary place where someone learns and gains experience outside of a formal educational setting, as in My grandfather didn’t have much formal schooling—the farm was his classroom. Example: I try to set up my classroom to be a space that allows each student to learn in their own way.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• classrooms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of classroom

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70; class + room

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

classroom classrooms

Co-author Talal Aladaileh said that the project's evolution from a classroom exercise into a published paper reflects the rigor, depth, and quality of the School of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering program at Binghamton.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026

But in only one program, at Florida International University, did he classify more readings as “traditional”—on such basics as phonics or classroom management, for example, or classic books—than in any other category.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

The school day begins with a classroom meeting, known as “morning meeting,” where students complete check-in questions to help the teacher track their circumstances and needs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

They encounter what happened through photographs, documentaries, memorials, classroom lessons and stories told by people who were alive on that day.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

Monday morning, I slid into my seat in Mrs. Tracy’s classroom.

From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott

In a growing share of American classrooms, 9/11 is part of a past era, often taught by teachers with little more memory of it than the students in front of them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

With three empty desks in the classrooms, some parents were reluctant to send their children back for the new school year.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

Dawadi quickly ordered an evacuation, and teachers hurried hundreds of students from classrooms to higher ground.

From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026

These breaks are a welcome respite from long stretches of sitting and screen-based learning, which is common in some classrooms despite questions about its efficacy.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026

I’m dragged through the church’s back door, which is only ever used by the priest and the choir during service and leads out to the courtyard and classrooms.

From "Hurricane Child" by Kheryn Callender