categorical

Also cat·e·gor·ic

[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. logic another word for categorial

Other Word Forms

• categorically adverb
• categoricalness noun
• noncategorical adjective
• noncategoricalness noun
• uncategorical adjective
• uncategoricalness 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

"The difference between humans and chimpanzees isn't a categorical leap. It's more like a continuum," Sanford said.

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Recognizing the categorical difference between occurrence and existence resolves these paradoxes.

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His proposed dimensional model focuses on symptom profiles rather than categorical labels, offering clinicians more nuanced tools for patient assessment and treatment planning.

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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was adamant that his country's move was a "categorical rejection" of Hamas but said it was "symbolic, immediate, and political, demonstrating France's commitment to the two-state solution".

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Could he give a categorical assurance that the next time he meets these MPs there won't have been another scandal?

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Related Words

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