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

• bracket
• class
• classification
• division
• family
• genus
• grade
• group
• kind
• league
• order
• rank(s)
• rubric
• set
• species
• tier
• type

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

Sales of homes priced over $1 million was the only price category seeing gains over last year, while the biggest drop in sales was in the $250,000 and lower range. —Diana Olick, CNBC, 23 July 2024

Readers' Choice Awards:Indiana burger chain named one of the best regional fast food brands in the nation USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards Check out the rest of the categories for USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards at 10best.usatoday.com. —Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 23 July 2024

The Hugo Awards, established in 1953, has 15 categories, including best novel, best short story and best fanzine. —Louis Mian, CNN, 23 July 2024

Exemptions were made for overnight visitors, who already pay a tourist tax, and certain categories like students and workers. —Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 22 July 2024

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

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