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

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

By occupying this unusual position, the genus helps fill an important gap in the existing classification system.

From Science Daily ● 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

Smith said the acquisition of Cervo will create an end-to-end platform that can handle customs brokerage tasks from item classification through clearance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

Wherever there is continued uncertainty about the classification of a beast in the following pages, I have noted it in the entry for that creature.

From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling

But Prof Penny Johnes, a leading water quality scientist at the University of Bristol, told BBC News the true picture was almost certainly worse than the classifications suggested.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Unfortunately, most investors don’t focus on these issues; getting clarity about complex legal and regulatory classifications is boring and abstract.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026

Officials describe the update as a modernization effort intended to streamline outdated or redundant classifications and create a more efficient system for supporting service members’ religious needs.

From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026

The iShares ETF includes South Korea, which comprises about 20% of its holdings, while the Vanguard ETF does not, reflecting different index classifications.

From Barron's ● May 19, 2026

One Harvard computer, Annie Jump Cannon, used her repetitive acquaintance with the stars to devise a system of stellar classifications so practical that it is still in use today.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

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