1 A category of activities, objects, people, or qualities that have, or are considered to have, certain attributes or characteristics in common. 2 An identifiable group of individuals that a regulation or statute deals with or acts upon differently than it does other people. If the group is identified by gender, race, national origin, or religion, such a group is called a protected class or a suspect class. See also suspect classification. 3 A group of individuals who have, with the plaintiff...