Dewey Decimal System

/ ˈdjuːɪ /

noun

1. Also called: decimal classification.  DDS. a frequently used system of library book classification and arrangement with ten main subject classes

Dewey decimal system

1. A system used in libraries for the classification of books and other publications. It uses the numbers 000 to 999 to cover the general fields of knowledge and subdivides each field by the use of decimals and letters. Named after its inventor, Melvil Dewey.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Dewey decimal system¹

C19: named after Melvil Dewey (1851–1931), US educator who invented the system

Example Sentences

If Judy says she can’t make it as a clerk, she’ll stay up all night learning the Dewey Decimal System.

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Her godmother’s words stay echoing in Mary’s brain, and before too long, Mary has picked up the Dewey Decimal System, is a whiz at the front desk and is the fastest shelver at the library branch.

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Whether in relationships, nightlife or library science; whether it’s Arabic, vinyl pulls or the Dewey Decimal System; or whether making a career as an actor without compromising your identity: If you’re learning how to speak the language of someone or something you love, you’ll eventually find yourself fluent.

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She criticized the Dewey Decimal System for including “overwhelmingly Christian” works in a 2013 article called “Queering the Catalog: Queer Theory and the Politics of Correction.”

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In my own library visits I'd also frequently wind up with something from a different place in the Dewey decimal system too.

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