sortation

American  

[sawr-tey-shuhn] / sɔrˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the process or result of sorting things, especially computationally or mechanically.

2. classification of things.

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sortation British  

/ sɔːˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the process of sorting items into groups sharing a distinguishing quality or characteristic

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Etymology

Origin of sortation

First recorded in 1840–50; sort ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

Orders are picked and packed at stores and then moved to sortation centers to be batched based on neighborhood for delivery.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

Meanwhile, Target is aiming to increase its shipping speed by augmenting its own warehouses, called sortation centers, with a $100 million investment announced earlier this year.

From Washington Times • Dec. 19, 2023

"As rigid polypropylene access, sortation, and end markets are on an upward trend across the U.S., we are excited to upgrade this packaging format," Caroline Cox, How2Recycle's director, said in a press release this summer.

From Salon • Oct. 14, 2022

Injury rates at Amazon’s sortation centers, where employees sort orders by final destination, increased 20%, while rates at its delivery stations, where workers prep packages for the delivery to customers doorsteps, went up 15%.

From Seattle Times • May 24, 2022

He is responsible for the correct sortation of every letter that he deals with, and he has to be expert in tying letters in bundles.

From The Bristol Royal Mail Post, Telegraph, and Telephone by Tombs, Robert Charles