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
Should Riyadh and Abu Dhabi codify limits on Chinese data-centre ownership, Washington gains leverage.
—Guney Yildiz, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Thank you to [Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene] for leading this legislation to codify [POTUS]' executive order.
—Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
Carême was the first to codify mayonnaise as a sauce and is a father of what are now known as the mother sauces.
—Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
The Justice Department’s new position makes the core goal of Cruz’s LIABLE Act partly achieved without legislation, although the LIABLE Act would permanently codify this no-immunity stance into law.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
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Guney Yildiz, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Thank you to [Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene] for leading this legislation to codify [POTUS]' executive order.
—Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
Carême was the first to codify mayonnaise as a sauce and is a father of what are now known as the mother sauces.
—Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
The Justice Department’s new position makes the core goal of Cruz’s LIABLE Act partly achieved without legislation, although the LIABLE Act would permanently codify this no-immunity stance into law.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 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 20 May. 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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