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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

"I didn't take any first class mail out on my last shift because I was on a road that's been behind for weeks," a worker in the West Midlands told me.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

"But I'm sure a manager would have ticked a box to say all first class mail went out."

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

When booking a seat in first class or business class, try to avoid the last couple of rows in case there’s a last-minute switch to a smaller plane with fewer premium seats.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

As we drove together to his first class, I couldn’t help feeling that this was a terrible mistake, allowing David to breach a sacred space I had just barely carved out for myself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

George mostly slept, on a bed of blankets and pillows on the floor of the first class lounge.

From "I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912" by Lauren Tarshis

Rew averages 68 in four first-class matches for Somerset and 44 in List A cricket.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

She grafted hard to do well at school and got a first-class degree from the University of Central Lancashire.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Hand him a first-class ticket to any conflict zone on Earth and his diplomatic temperament would ease tensions that have long bedeviled U.N. envoys.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

They don’t need a first-class intelligence service to spell it out for them.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

Lots of hymns, and the Catholic priest saying Hail Marys, and the first-class salon which had really looked a lot like this: dark wood, potted palms, rose silk lampshades with their swaying fringe.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt