codify
verb
cod·i·fy
ˈkä-də-ˌfī 
ˈkō-
codified; codifying
1
: to reduce to a code
The convention codified the rules of war.
2
a
: systematize
Standardization refers to the process by which a language has been codified in some way.—
Ronald Wardhaugh
Ronald Wardhaugh
b
: classify
Customer complaints are codified as dissatisfaction feedback.
Did you know?
A code is a collection of laws arranged in an orderly way; famous examples include the Code of Hammurabi, from about 1760 B.C. in ancient Babylon, and the Napoleonic Code, produced at Napoleon's orders in 1804. Laws that have been included in a code have been codified. The rules of baseball differed greatly from one place to another until they were codified by Alexander Cartwright in 1845; they haven't changed much since, though we don't know what Cartwright would say about the designated hitter.
Examples of codify in a Sentence
The convention codified the rules of war.
The author tries to codify important ideas about language.
Recent Examples on the Web
Leone taught and codified dozens of complicated pick-stroke combinations, to give depth and expression.
—Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
Political battles over programs like the Affordable Care Act, which attempted to codify a similar focus on preventive care, show how federal gridlock fuels the very cuts now devastating local health budgets.
—Markos Kounalakis, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
The bill serves to formally codify the position taken by Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor, who has stated that city police will not cooperate with ICE, said Councilmember Barb Warwick, who introduced the bill.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2026
And Congress later codified that understanding in the 1940s, '50s and '60s.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for codify
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Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
Political battles over programs like the Affordable Care Act, which attempted to codify a similar focus on preventive care, show how federal gridlock fuels the very cuts now devastating local health budgets.
—Markos Kounalakis, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
The bill serves to formally codify the position taken by Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor, who has stated that city police will not cooperate with ICE, said Councilmember Barb Warwick, who introduced the bill.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2026
And Congress later codified that understanding in the 1940s, '50s and '60s.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for codify
Cite this Entry
“Codify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/codify. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
codify
verb
cod·i·fy
ˈkäd-ə-ˌfī
ˈkōd-
codified; codifying
: to arrange (as a collection of laws) in an orderly form
Legal Definition
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