# cohort

/ˈkoʊhɔɹt/ (US) · /kˈəʊhɔːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cohort
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. statistical or age group

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

a group of people who share a characteristic, like being born in the same year.

For teachers: a demographic grouping of people, typically defined by a shared characteristic or experiencing the same event within a specific period.

- The study followed a cohort of children born in the 1980s to see how their health changed.
- Researchers analyzed the 2010 birth cohort to determine if early exposure to digital media correlated with later developmental milestones.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'a cohort of'.

### 2. a group of students

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a group of people who start a training program or university course at the same time.

For teachers: a set of individuals who move through an educational or training program together as a single unit.

- The new cohort of medical students will begin their hospital rotations next month.
- The university reported that the current cohort of engineering students is the largest and most diverse in the institution's history.

### 4. Roman military unit

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

a unit of soldiers in the ancient Roman army.

For teachers: a specific tactical unit of a Roman legion, typically consisting of six centuries or approximately 480 to 600 men.

- The general ordered the third cohort to defend the bridge against the attack.
- Historical records suggest that the tenth cohort was instrumental in maintaining the perimeter during the siege of the city.

## Examples

- The 2020 cohort graduated with high honors.
- Researchers tracked the health outcomes of this cohort over twenty years to study the effects of diet.
- The longitudinal study followed the birth cohort from infancy into adulthood, revealing significant correlations between early childhood education and later socioeconomic status.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.