codify

verb

cod·i·fy | \ ˈkä-də-ˌfī

, ˈkō-\

codified; codifying

Definition of codify

1 : to reduce to a code The convention codified the rules of war.

2a : 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.

Other Words from codify Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about codify

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Other Words from codify

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.

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

The Kremlin, however, has been slow in codifying the resolutions into law. — Thomas Grove, WSJ, "‘These Are Our Friends’; Russians Push to Preserve North Korea Ties," 25 Jan. 2019 This stuff happens all the time nowadays; the rulebook was codified during Gamergate and has since spread throughout the greater online culture war. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "How to delete your Twitter history," 26 July 2018 In doing so, Drag Race has also played a key role in codifying an image of what a drag performance should look like. — Wilder Davies, Time, "RuPaul’s Drag Race and What People Get Wrong About the History of Drag," 9 Mar. 2018 Meanwhile, on the federal level, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has introduced a bill that would codify Dynamex. — Cyrus Farivar, Ars Technica, "Lyft drivers sue, argue that they’re employees rather than contractors," 2 Nov. 2018 In response, the city in 1980 adopted Local Law 10, which codified the regular inspection of facades. — Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times, "Columbia University Is Cited for a Cracked Building Facade, Inviting Memories of a 1979 Death," 4 June 2018 The company also had challenged a law passed by Congress that codified the ban. — Stu Woo, WSJ, "Judge Dismisses Kaspersky Suit Challenging Software Ban," 30 May 2018 Congress could codify Justice’s policy, and states could shield defendants from successive prosecutions. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "A Supreme Court Gamble," 5 Dec. 2018 Moira Donegan creates an anonymous list that codified whisper networks that have long existed. — Cady Drell, Marie Claire, "The Creator of the Shitty Media Men List Is Being Sued—and You Can Help Fund Her Legal Fees," 12 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'codify.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.