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In ancient times, a cohort was a military unit, one of ten divisions in a Roman legion. The term passed into English in the 15th century, when it was used in translations and writings about Roman history. Once cohort became established in our language, its meaning was extended, first to refer to any body of troops, then to any group of individuals with something in common (as in “a cohort of law students” or “a cohort of people who were born in the same year”), and later to a single companion. Some writers on usage have objected to this last sense because it can be hard to tell whether the plural refers to different individuals or different groups. The “companion” sense is well established in standard use, however, and its meaning is clear enough in such sentences as “her cohorts came along with her to the game.”
Examples of cohort in a Sentence
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 27 May 2026
Each cohort will consist of three artists and two writers; artists can stay for up to three months, while writers for up to six months.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 27 May 2026
The program’s third cohort, known as the Iridescence by Couture, will showcase their work in Salon 634 in the Cristal ballroom.
—Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
The eight filmmakers in the second cohort and their projects are listed below.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cohort
Cite this Entry
“Cohort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cohort. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cohort
noun
Medical Definition
cohort
noun
R. R. Suskind et al.
