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

In recent years, auction houses have expanded their categories as luxury goods and collectibles have helped buoy their sales. —Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026

At this time, applications for projects in the business incentives category and arts, culture and activation category are temporarily on hold, according to the DDA website. —Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026

One such winner is Steve Kovacs, who took first place in the Blackwater category, as well as the coveted best-in-show prize, for his whimsical image of a monkfish in Japan appearing to yawn. —Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Here are our predictions for who will win the Big Four categories — album, song and record of the year as well as best new artist — at the 2026 Grammys. —Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 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