What is "class variable"

n. (context software object-oriented English) A member variable that is associated with a class of which a single copy exists.

In object-oriented programming with classes, a class variable is a variable defined in a class of which a single copy exists, regardless of how many instances of the class exist.

A class variable is not an instance variable. It is a special type of class attribute (or class property, field, or data member). The same dichotomy between instance and class members applies to methods ("member functions") as well; a class may have both instance methods and class methods.