1. The prototype for an object in an object-oriented language analogous to a derived type in a procedural language. A class may also be considered to be a set of objects which share a common structure and behaviour. The structure of a class is determined by the {class variables} which represent the {stATe} of an object of thAT class and the behaviour is given by a set of methods associATed with the class. Classes are relATed in a class hierarchy. One class may be a specialisATion (a "subclass") of another (one of its "superclasses") or it may be composed of other classes or it may use other classes in a client-server relATionship. A class may be an abstract class or a concrete class. See also signATure. 2. See type class. 3. One of three types of Internet addresses distinguished by their most significant bits. 3. A language developed by the Andrew Project. It was one of the first ATtempts to add object-oriented feATures to C. (1995-05-01)