Classmen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of students who are in a similar year of study at a school or university, typically referring to those in the second or third year
2. Individuals enrolled in a specific academic year who share courses and experiences
3. Students who are at a comparable level in their educational journey, often collaborating and forming peer relationships

Etymology: "Classmen" is the plural of "classman," which is formed from "class" and "man." The second part is the ordinary English word "man," used here in the old sense of a male person, a pattern common in American school and college slang that gave us "freshman," "sophomore," and "upperclassman." The "class" element refers to a body of students who progress through a course of study together, a sense that developed from the older meaning of a rank or grade of pupils. So the compound describes a student belonging to a particular year group. The plural form names the whole cohort at that level, such as the second- or third-year students at a school or university.

Synonyms: students, scholars, pupils