categorical

[ kat-i-gawr-i-kuhl, -gor- ]

adjective

1. without exceptions or conditions; absolute; unqualified and unconditional:

   a categorical denial.

   Synonyms: downright, flat, positive

2. Logic.
   1. (of a proposition) analyzable into a subject and an attribute related by a copula, as in the proposition “All humans are mortal.”
   2. (of a syllogism) having categorical propositions as premises.
3. of, relating to, or in a category.

categorical

/ ˌkætɪˈɡɒrɪkəl /

adjective

1. unqualified; positive; unconditional

   a categorical statement

2. relating to or included in a category
3. See categorial
   logic another word for categorial

Derived Forms

• ˌcateˈgoricalness, noun
• ˌcateˈgorically, adverb

Other Words From

• cat·e·gor·i·cal·ly adverb
• cat·e·gor·i·cal·ness noun
• non·cat·e·gor·i·cal adjective
• non·cat·e·gor·i·cal·ness noun
• un·cat·e·gor·i·cal adjective
• un·cat·e·gor·i·cal·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of categorical¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Late Latin catēgoric(us) (from Greek katēgorikós; category, -ic ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

He actively blamed and condemned women—not just individually, but as a categorical whole—for his shortcomings.

From The Daily Beast

He is a writing school of one, and Made to Break ushers his literary energies into categorical existence.

From The Daily Beast

Obviously, as a Democratic candidate for governor, he has shifted away from this categorical support for pro-gun measures.

From The Daily Beast

Both women issued categorical denials even before the photos hit newsstands.

From The Daily Beast

Charlene calls reports she tried to flee Monaco 'categorical lies'

From The Daily Beast

It was a strange case of mistaken identity which persisted for many years in spite of categorical denials.

From Project Gutenberg

As I dressed a number of frightful posers came into my head about you, and I want categorical answers.

From Project Gutenberg

The single categorical negation of the President is that he neither saw nor read the recommendation.

From Project Gutenberg

The highest norms were not present with a categorical affirmation of their reality and value.

From Project Gutenberg

For we should discover that speech is a much less categorical matter than we had been led to suppose.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• absolute
• clear-cut
• definite
• definitive
• emphatic
• forthright
• unambiguous
• unequivocal