third class

See synonyms for third class on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the class, grade, or rank immediately below the second.

  2. the least costly class of accommodations on trains, in hotels, etc.: Compare tourist class.

  1. (in the U.S. Postal Service) the class of mail consisting of merchandise weighing up to 16 ounces, and written or printed material, as books, manuscripts, or circulars, not sealed against postal inspection.

  2. the lowest of three honors degrees conferred by a British university.

Origin of third class

1
First recorded in 1835–45

Other definitions for third-class (2 of 2)

third-class
[ thurd-klas, -klahs ]

adjective
  1. of the lowest or poorest class or quality; inferior.

  2. least costly and luxurious: a third-class coach.

adverb
  1. by third-class mail or passenger accommodations: to travel third-class.

Origin of third-class

2
First recorded in 1830–40

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for third class

third class

noun
  1. the class or grade next in value, quality, etc, to the second

adjective(third-class when prenominal)
  1. of the class or grade next in value, quality, etc, to the second

  2. of or denoting the class of accommodation in a hotel, on a ship, etc, next in quality and price to the second: usually the cheapest

  1. (in the US and Canada) of or relating to a class of mail consisting largely of unsealed printed matter

  2. British See third (def. 8)

adverb
  1. by third-class mail, transport, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012