classified

[ klas-uh-fahyd ]

adjective

1. arranged or distributed in classes or according to class:

   We plan to review all the classified specimens in the laboratory.

2. designating the part or parts of a publication that contain advertisements or lists arranged by category:

   The classified section of our little local newspaper is full of ads for garage sales and cleaning ladies.

3. (of information, a document, etc.)
   1. available only to authorized persons. Compare classification ( def 5 ).
   2. bearing the designation classified.
4. confidential or secret:

   The firm's promotional budget for next year is classified information.

5. identified as belonging to a specific group or category, as one to which benefits or restrictions apply:

   Classified buildings are eligible for state-funded restoration. The bank has a list of classified customers to whom it will not make large loans.

noun

1. classified ad ( def ).

classified

/ ˈklæsɪˌfaɪd /

adjective

1. arranged according to some system of classification
2. government (of information) not available to people outside a restricted group, esp for reasons of national security
3. (of information) closely concealed or secret
4. (of advertisements in newspapers, etc) arranged according to type
5. (of newspapers) containing sports results, esp football results
6. (of British roads) having a number in the national road system. If the number is preceded by an M the road is a motorway, if by an A it is a first-class road, and if by a B it is a secondary road

Other Words From

• non·classi·fied adjective
• super·classi·fied adjective
• well-classi·fied adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of classified¹

First recorded in 1885–90; 1940–45 classified fordef 3; classify + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Schiff told The Daily Beast that he was given a classified briefing about the Sony attack from the intelligence community Friday.

From The Daily Beast

This material has been reviewed by the CIA to prevent the disclosure of classified information.

From The Daily Beast

“Those are areas that we should probably get into in a classified hearing,” the defense secretary said.

From The Daily Beast

One in five Pennsylvania inmates are classified as mentally ill.

From The Daily Beast

But one day, scanning the classified ads in The Minneapolis Tribune, she saw a job opportunity that appealed to her.

From The Daily Beast

For accuracy, 500 to 1000 leukocytes must be classified; for approximate results, 200 are sufficient.

From Project Gutenberg

Classify each leukocyte seen, and calculate what percentage each variety is of the whole number classified.

From Project Gutenberg

These may be again classified under many different heads, as there are many kinds and grades of each.

From Project Gutenberg

The latter had already prepared a cabinet of pigeon-holes, arranged and classified by the names of Balzacian characters.

From Project Gutenberg

He did not at all agree with his correspondent that eight classified workhouses were better than one general establishment.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• confidential
• restricted