klasa

Klasa is a Polish and, more broadly, a Slavic word meaning "class" that appears in multiple domains. It derives from the Latin classis and is cognate with the English word "class." Its use varies by context but shares the common idea of a grouping or category.

In education, a klasa is a group of students in the same school year. It can also refer to a particular year or form, such as klasa pierwsza (first grade). Classes are usually organized by teacher, timetable, and classroom, and they serve as the basic unit of school organization in many educational systems.

In biology, klasa (Classis) denotes a rank in the taxonomic hierarchy between phylum and order. Polish usage names mammalian and avian groups as examples of classes, such as Klasa Ssaki (Mammalia) and Klasa Ptaki (Aves). The term emphasizes a level of shared characteristics used to classify living organisms.

In computer science, klasa is the Polish equivalent of "class" in object-oriented programming. A class defines a template for objects, including data fields (attributes) and procedures (methods), and is instantiated to create individual objects during program execution.

In sociology and political economy, klasa can refer to a social class, a division of society based on factors such as income, occupation, and education. The concept is used in discussions of social structure, inequality, and stratification across historical and contemporary contexts.