Phrase guide

first class

adj · noun · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Belonging to the best or top group in a system of classification.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • That was a first class restaurant.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of, or relating to the most luxurious and expensive class of accommodation on a train, ship, hotel, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • We travelled first class to New York.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Of, or relating to a class of mail to be delivered before second class.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • First class stamps are now more expensive.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Great, very enjoyable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: India, UK, not-comparable

Examples

  • - How was your holiday? - It was first class.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Of or relating to a first class match.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: ball-games, cricket, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Of or relating to a treatment like that for a first-class object.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

Examples

  • Java has no first-class functions, so function objects are usually expressed by an interface with a single method.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

premier rank.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: A status; section; etc which is of; A status; section; etc which is of

Examples

  • sat in first class; attained first class in the Boy Scouts

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

The third year of primary school, following after the junior and senior infant levels.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Ireland

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

One of two classes of city government in the U.S. state of Kentucky, in which cities elect a mayor and aldermen.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

adverb

Meaning 10

by first class conveyance; with first class accommodations

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • we always travel first class

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

the most expensive accommodations on a ship or train or plane

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: accommodation

12

noun

Meaning 12

the highest rank in a classification

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: superiority, high quality

13

noun

Meaning 13

mail that includes letters and postcards and packages sealed against inspection

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: 1st class, first-class mail, 1st-class mail

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mail

Narrower terms: correspondence

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

55 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: първокласен (pǎrvoklasen) — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Chinese Mandarin: 一等 (yīděng) — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Chinese Mandarin: 一流 (yīliú) — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Czech: prvotřídní — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Danish: førsteklasses — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Finnish: ensiluokkainen — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Galician: de primeira clase — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Georgian: პირველხარისხოვანი (ṗirvelxarisxovani) — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Georgian: პირველი კლასის (ṗirveli ḳlasis) — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Georgian: პირველი ჯგუფის (ṗirveli ǯgupis) — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • German: erstklassig — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Hebrew: סוּג א׳ (sug álef) — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Hungarian: első osztályú — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Irish: den chéad ghrád — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Latin: prīmārius — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Macedonian: прво́класен (prvóklasen) — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Norwegian Bokmål: førsteklasses — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: fyrsteklasses — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: førsteklasses — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Polish: pierwszorzędny — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Portuguese: de primeira — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Romanian: de prima clasă — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Russian: первокла́ссный (pervoklássnyj) — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Turkish: birinci sınıf — belonging to the best group in a system of classification
  • Bulgarian: първокласен (pǎrvoklasen) — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 頭等 /头等 (tóuděng) — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Danish: på første klasse — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Esperanto: unuaklasa — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • French: première classe — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • German: Erste-Klasse- — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Gujarati: ફર્સ્ટ કલાસ (pharsṭ kalās) — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Hebrew: מַחְלָקָה רִאשׁוֹנָה (maẖlaqá rishoná) — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Hungarian: első osztályon — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Macedonian: прво́класен (prvóklasen) — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Polish: pierwsza klasa — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Portuguese: da primeira classe — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Romanian: prima clasă — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Russian: первокла́ссный (pervoklássnyj) — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Turkish: birinci sınıf — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Vietnamese: hạng nhất — relating to the most luxurious class of accommodation
  • Finnish: ykkösluokan — relating to a priority class of mail
  • Hungarian: első osztályú — relating to a priority class of mail
  • Hungarian: első osztályú — cricket: relating to a first class match
  • Finnish: ensiluokan — programming: relating to a treatment like a first-class citizen
  • German: First-Class- — programming: relating to a treatment like a first-class citizen
  • Greek: πρώτη τάξη (próti táxi) — programming: relating to a treatment like a first-class citizen
  • Turkish: birinci sınıf — programming: relating to a treatment like a first-class citizen
  • Chinese Mandarin: 頭等艙 /头等舱 (tóuděngcāng) — a status, section, etc. of premier rank
  • Finnish: ensimmäinen luokka — a status, section, etc. of premier rank
  • Finnish: ykkösluokka — a status, section, etc. of premier rank
  • Hungarian: első osztály — a status, section, etc. of premier rank
  • Irish: céad ghrád — a status, section, etc. of premier rank
  • Macedonian: пр́ва кла́са (pŕva klása) — a status, section, etc. of premier rank
  • Polish: pierwsza klasa — a status, section, etc. of premier rank
  • Swahili: daraja la kwanza — a status, section, etc. of premier rank