classification

[klas-uh-fi-key-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of classifying.

2. the result of classifying or being classified. classify.

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

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.

classification

/ 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

classification

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of classification¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of classification¹

C18: from French; see _class , _-ify , _-ation

Example Sentences

"We won't have a stage winner. We will give the points for the mountain classification and the intermediate sprint, but not on the finish line."

From BBC

Antonelli was penalised 10 seconds for the incident, and received another penalty for speeding in the pit lane, dropping him to 16th in the classification.

From BBC

My mom and siblings and I called and emailed each of the prison’s classification officers, coordinators and wardens.

From Salon

And obviously, Folds knows that a show that stars a beagle and a small yellow bird that defies classification is not the right place to get bogged down in the issues of the day.

From Los Angeles Times

Lipowitz, 24, was the best young rider while fellow Tour debutant Jonathan Milan, who is also 24, topped the points classification standings.

From BBC

Related Words

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