cohort
KOH-hort
/ˈkoʊ.hɔːrt/
A group of people who share a common characteristic or experience within a defined period.
While 'group' is general, 'cohort' implies a shared timeline, such as a 'birth cohort' or a 'graduation cohort'.
The story behind the word. In Ancient Rome, a 'cohors' was a tenth of a legion. It literally meant an 'enclosure' or 'yard,' suggesting a group of soldiers kept together. Over time, it shifted from military units to any group of people bound together by a common experience.
Word relationships
- category: Category is a general classification, whereas cohort specifically implies a shared time-based experience.
- individual: An individual stands alone, while a cohort is defined by its membership in a group.
Commonly confused with
- colleague: A colleague is someone you work with; a cohort is a group you share a statistical trait with.
Word family
- cohorts (noun): Plural of cohort.
Collocations
- birth cohort
- age cohort
- statistical cohort
Example sentences
- "This cohort of retirees is significantly more tech-savvy than those who retired a decade ago." Sociological study of aging.
- "The 2020 cohort of graduates faced a uniquely challenging job market due to the global pandemic." Academic research on education.
Memory hook
Think of a 'court' (similar sound) where a group of people are gathered for the same trial. A cohort is a group caught in the same 'court' of time.
When not to use
Do not use it for a random gathering of people; it requires a unifying statistical or temporal bond.
Fun facts
- In biology, a cohort study follows a group of people over many years to see how their health changes.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.