category

noun

cat·​e·​go·​ry ˈka-tə-ˌgȯr-ē 

plural categories

1

: any of several fundamental and distinct classes to which entities or concepts belong

Taxpayers fall into one of several categories.

2

: a division within a system of classification

She competed for the award in her age category.

Synonyms

• type
• kind

Examples of category in a Sentence

The cars belong to the same category.

Taxpayers fall into one of several categories.

She competed for the award in her age category.

Recent Examples on the Web

Kershaw and Martinez were 54% better than league average in this statistical category. —Wayne G. McDonnell, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025

Nine finalists — three for each award category — will be announced at the Los Angeles auto show in November. —Mark Phelan, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025

Like other spirits categories, tequila is protected by government regulations and a denomination of origin. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2025

The waiver program, which was expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce in-person interviews, will now be limited to a narrow set of categories. —Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin categoria, from Greek katēgoria predication, category, from katēgorein to accuse, affirm, predicate, from kata- + agora public assembly, from ageirein to gather

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for category

• allegory
• amatory
• auditory
• clerestory
• crematory
• desultory
• dilatory
• dormitory
• excretory
• extempore
• feudatory
• gustatory

Kids Definition

category

noun

cat·​e·​go·​ry ˈkat-ə-ˌgōr-ē 

-ˌgȯr-

plural categories

1

: one of the divisions or groupings used in a system of classification

"species" and "genus" are biological categories

2

: class entry 1 sense 3a, kind