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
But to codify the auto-bid model would be waving the white flag and accepting a lower status.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 10 July 2025
Already, companies like Meta Platforms Inc., Google, OpenAI and Anthropic, regularly release safety guidelines for their models; SB 53 aims to codify and standardize these procedures.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 July 2025
Similarly, China did not roll out its prodigious electronic warfare capabilities to better protect Tehran, despite the sprawling quarter century, $400 billion strategic pact codified between the two countries back in 2021.
—Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
And in April 2026 Singapore’s MAS will decide whether to codify its AI model-risk guidelines; insiders say positive feedback on the platform could tip the scales toward full adoption.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for codify
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Chris Vannini, New York Times, 10 July 2025
Already, companies like Meta Platforms Inc., Google, OpenAI and Anthropic, regularly release safety guidelines for their models; SB 53 aims to codify and standardize these procedures.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 July 2025
Similarly, China did not roll out its prodigious electronic warfare capabilities to better protect Tehran, despite the sprawling quarter century, $400 billion strategic pact codified between the two countries back in 2021.
—Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
And in April 2026 Singapore’s MAS will decide whether to codify its AI model-risk guidelines; insiders say positive feedback on the platform could tip the scales toward full adoption.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for codify
Cite this Entry
“Codify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/codify. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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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