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

Bloomingdale’s chief merchant Denise Magid also cites backpacks as a strong and growing category, noting demand for classic Polo Ralph Lauren styles and bolder designs from brands like State and Sprayground. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026

Nancy Twine, a pioneer of the prestige hair-care category who built Briogeo into a $100 million brand and subsequently sold it, is back. — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026

Meta also excludes religious views and several other sensitive categories from ad personalization. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

The category has spent two decades rewarding the man who helped define the genre while conspicuously never rewarding the show that made him. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 Aug. 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
• feudatory
• gustatory
• gyratory

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