Classify

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈklæs.ɪ.faɪ/

Definitions

1. To arrange or organize items into categories or groups based on shared characteristics or properties
2. To sort or designate items into specific categories according to their features or attributes
3. To assign items to different groups based on similarities or defined criteria within a classification system

Etymology: "Classify" is a straightforward English formation: it combines "class" with the suffix "-ify," meaning "to make or treat as." Its direct source is French "classifier," so the verb was built from the same root as "class" and then given a French-style ending that turns a noun into a verb of making or arranging. The noun "class" entered English from French and Latin "classis," a term used in ancient Rome for a division of citizens, especially by wealth, and later for a fleet or a teaching group. The idea underlying "classify" is therefore quite literal: to sort things into the divisions that a "class" once described for the Roman census and army.

Synonyms: categorize, sort, label, arrange, identify

Antonyms: ignore, disorganize, confuse, mix, scatter