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Glite Dictionary
cattle class

cattle class

6.0
The cheapest, most crowded seats on an airplane with little space
  • noun
  • /ˈkætəl klæs/
  • Offensive
translation icon : clase de ganado (informal, ofensivo)
  • I always fly in cattle class to save money.

Examples

  • After a long-haul flight in cattle class, my legs were aching from the cramped space.

  • He upgraded to business to avoid the discomfort of cattle class.

  • I always fly cattle class to save money, even if it means less comfort.

  • Why do people prefer cattle class over business class?

  • For my vacation, I booked a ticket in cattle class to save money.

  • Flying in cattle class means you have less legroom and fewer services than first class.

  • Many travelers prefer to avoid cattle class because of the cramped conditions.

Synonyms

third class
vscattle class
  • Archaic
5 3.9

The cheapest part of a ship or train with basic seats and little comfort

feels more crowded and compact than that general cheapest category
economy class
vscattle class
3 2.0

The cheapest seats on a plane, train, or ship with basic services

is cheaper and more crowded with very limited space
tourist class
vscattle class
  • Archaic
3.2

The cheapest seats and rooms on planes, trains, and ships with few extras

is usually more crowded and offers less personal space
cabin class
vscattle class
3.1

A cheaper travel class on a ship, train, or plane than first class

is cheaper and more crowded than this less expensive tier

Antonyms

first class
53 3.4

The most comfortable and expensive seats on a plane, train, or ship

How Comfortable

first class
35 3.7
cattle class
  • Offensive
6.0

Surface Forms

cattle class singular
cattle classes plural

Morphology

cattle + class

The phrase uses 'cattle' metaphorically to liken passengers to livestock and 'class' to denote a seating category; the link to cramped, low-cost seating is based on this derogatory metaphor rather than purely compositional meaning. A B1 learner who knows both words may infer a negative sense (crowded/treated like cattle) but would need cultural/usage knowledge to map this reliably to the specific notion of the cheapest airline seating, so it is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Cattle class comes from the image of farm animals packed tightly into a truck to be moved. People in the cheapest plane seats were compared to cattle because they sit very close with little room, so the phrase means 'cheap' and 'crowded' seating on a plane.