classify Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb arrange or order by classes or categories
    sort; separate; assort; sort out; class.
    • How would you classify these pottery shards--are they prehistoric?
  2. verb declare unavailable, as for security reasons
    • Classify these documents
  3. verb assign to a class or kind
    relegate.
    • How should algae be classified?
    • People argue about how to relegate certain mushrooms

WordNet

Clas"si*fy transitive verb
Etymology
L. classis class +
Wordforms
imperfect & pp Classified ; present participle & verbal noun Classifying
Definitions
  1. To distribute into classes; to arrange according to a system; to arrnge in sets according to some method founded on common properties or characters. Syn. -- To arrange; distibute; rank.

Webster 1913