classification

American  

[klas-uh-fi-key-shuhn] / ˌklæs ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

• classifications
  plural

1. the act of classifying.

2. the result of classifying or being classified.

3. one of the groups or classes into which things may be or have been classified.

4. Biology. the assignment of organisms to groups within a system of categories distinguished by structure, origin, etc. The usual series of categories is phylum (or, especially in botany,division ), class, order, family, genus, species, and variety.

5. the category, as restricted, confidential, secret, or top secret, to which information, a document, etc., is assigned, as by a government or military agency, based on the degree of protection considered necessary to safeguard it from unauthorized use.

6. Library Science. any of various systems for arranging books and other materials, especially according to subject or format.

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classification British  

/ ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. systematic placement in categories

2. one of the divisions in a system of classifying

3. biology

   1. the placing of animals and plants in a series of increasingly specialized groups because of similarities in structure, origin, molecular composition, etc, that indicate a common relationship. The major groups are domain or superkingdom, kingdom, phylum (in animals) or division (in plants), class, order, family, genus, and species

   2. the study of the principles and practice of this process; taxonomy

4. government the designation of an item of information as being secret and not available to people outside a restricted group

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classification Scientific  

/ klăs′ə-fĭ-kā′shən /

1. The systematic grouping of organisms according to the structural or evolutionary relationships among them. Organisms are normally classified by observed similarities in their body and cell structure or by evolutionary relationships based on the analysis of sequences of their DNA.

2. See more at cladistics Linnean See Table at taxonomy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• misclassification
  noun
• nonclassification
  noun
• overclassification
  noun
• preclassification
  noun
• classificational
  adjective
• classificatory
  adjective
• clasificatorily
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• classifications
  plural

Etymology

Origin of classification

1780–90; < Latin classi ( s ) class + -fication

Explanation

Classification is the process of putting something into a category. Classification of all your clothes by color may make it easier for you to put together an outfit, especially if you favor a monochrome look. Classification involves putting things into a class or group according to particular characteristics so it’s easier to make sense of them, whether you’re organizing your shoes, your stock portfolio, or a group of invertebrates. If you’re an international spy, you might know that classification also can mean a government’s system for keeping secrets. If you have a high level of security classification, then you know really top secret stuff.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

classification classifications

Lead researcher Dr. Ian Towle, a Research Fellow at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, said recent findings are making the existing classification system less useful and less accurate.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

Niewiadoma-Phinney began the 146.8km ride from La Voulte-sur-Rhone third in the general classification, one minute and 17 seconds behind race leader Marlen Reusser, with Demi Vollering second.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

Anything faster is classified as an moped or e-motorcycle, which can require someone to have a motorcycle classification on their license.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Japan had its hottest summer on record last year and in recent weeks many places have had "kokushobi", a new official classification meaning "cruelly hot days".

From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026

That’s not the only problem with this classification.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

If “yes” is checked, the contract states that a list of subcontractors — including their names, contact information, license numbers and classifications — must be provided to the homeowner upon request.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

In California, e-bikes and e-motorcycles are divided into different classifications, which limits who can ride them and how.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

While others were perfecting their sourdough loaves or getting into bird-watching during the pandemic, Facundo Monteiro Kempf, a 35-year-old who works in cybersecurity for Microsoft, was memorizing Burgundian vineyard classifications.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Scottish Mountaineering Club requires climbers to reach 1,072 summits across six different hill classifications to complete the "full house".

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

The classifications generally ran parallel to the length of one’s sentence.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

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