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

Our food director Chris Morocco is spectacular at this exact category. —Emma Laperruque, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 May 2026

Each puzzle has exactly one solution, so watch out for words or items that seem to belong to multiple categories! —Mark Cooper, New York Times, 18 May 2026

Together, these expressions make a compelling case that cane juice rum is not a niche category but a dynamic, increasingly important segment of the premium rum market. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026

Meanwhile, with eight available nominations in the Comedy Series category (and assuming six will go to Hacks, The Comeback, Only Murders in the Building, Abbott Elementary, The Bear, and Shrinking), Rooster stacks up decently well against the remaining competition. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 May 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