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

Instead of starting with a broad index and sorting stocks into two groups, this fund targets stocks that show value characteristics relative to industry peers.

From Barron's

Wolf was nosing about in the back of the cave, and Renn was sorting herbs in her lap.

From Literature

IBM itself has been sorting through the impact of AI agents on its workforce.

From The Wall Street Journal

Anna May began sorting and counting the pieces.

From Literature

The stock market, enduring an intense period of AI disruption, is sorting through which software companies are going to come out winners—and which appear headed the other way.

From Barron's

Related Words

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