codify

verb

cod·​i·​fy ˈkä-də-ˌfī 

ˈkō-

codified; codifying

transitive verb

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

b

: classify

Customer complaints are codified as dissatisfaction feedback.

codifiability

ˌkä-də-ˌfī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

ˌkō-

noun

codification

ˌkä-də-fə-ˈkā-shən 

ˌkō-

noun

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.

Synonyms of codify

• classify
• rank
• distinguish
• relegate

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

Still, other advocates called on Congress to pass a federal law that codifies online safety measures like the ones agreed to in the settlement that would apply across all social media platforms. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

The change isn’t new for Missourians and only codifies a rule Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway implemented in November. — Jack Harvel august 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026

That measure would essentially codify existing voter ID policy in its state constitution. — Benjamin Swasey, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026

The regulation would codify an unprecedented fee of more than $100,000 on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers blocked by the courts. — Daniel Wiessner, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

code entry 1 + -ify

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for codify

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

codify

verb

cod·​i·​fy ˈkäd-ə-ˌfī 

ˈkōd-

codified; codifying

: to arrange (as a collection of laws) in an orderly form

codification

ˌkäd-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

ˌkōd-

noun

Legal Definition

codify

transitive verb

cod·​i·​fy ˈkä-də-ˌfī, ˈkō- 

codified; codifying

: to reduce (laws) to a code

codification

ˌkä-də-fə-ˈkā-shən, ˌkō- 

noun