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 of category

• 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

And with many larger room categories available, families of all sizes will find a place to bed down that fits their needs. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026

For the annual awards, an expert panel of 10Best editors nominates spots in various categories and invites the public to cast a vote for their favorites over a monthlong period, according to the news outlet’s website. —Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2026

Classics like Spanx, newcomers like Shapermint, and cool-girl brands like Alo all offer their own takes on the category; there’s something for everyone below. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 16 Mar. 2026

With this winning moment, a woman has now won in every single non-gendered Oscar category. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026

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