sorting

American  

[sawr-ting] / ˈsɔr tɪŋ /

noun

Geology.

1. the process by which sedimentary particles become separated according to some particular characteristic, as size or shape.

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sorting Scientific  

/ sôr′tĭng /

1. The process by which sediment particles that have a certain characteristic, such as a given shape or grain size, are separated from other associated particles by an active agent of transportation, such as wind, a stream, or a glacier.

2. A measure of the degree to which this process has occurred within a body of sediment. Wind-blown sediments are usually well-sorted because only a small range of grain sizes can be lifted by a particular wind velocity. Glacially derived sediments are usually poorly sorted because of the great range of particle sizes that are picked up by a moving glacier.

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Etymology

Origin of sorting

sort + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Barron’s in January drew up a to-do list for Disney’s new CEO, outlining four top priorities: accelerating streaming growth, pumping out more box-office hits, sorting out ESPN, and building on theme-park success.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

Next to it, a plant worker wears a VR headset to record his own endeavours to demonstrate what successful picking and sorting looks like.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

But a system that works primarily for the top tier is less a development system than a sorting mechanism.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Materne expects that software stocks will go through a sorting process, meaning that successful software investors will need to be discerning when looking for opportunities.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Even Mom, who was back in the kitchen and sorting through mail, lifted an eyebrow in approval.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

Related Words

• allocation
• allotment
• analysis
• arrangement
• coordination
• designation
• distribution
• grade
• regulation