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

See Examples For:

sortation

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

Typically, an Amazon package would move through three types of buildings before hitting the customer’s doorstep: a fulfillment center, a sortation center and a delivery station.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 18, 2022

Those for Bristol and neighbourhood are assigned to a compartment for further sortation, and the outward correspondence is sorted out into the different "roads" by which it will travel.

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