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
However, SpaceX is urging the FCC to dial up the pressure by codifying the reciprocity threat into actual policy.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Our contract enabled the school district to implement mandatory recess for elementary school students; codify smaller class sizes; expand access to honors, arts, music and sports; and establish dual language schools in the Black community on the West and South sides.
—Stacy Davis Gates, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
It will be officially codified into the city’s municipal code during a second reading at the April 21 council meeting.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
The latest trailer offers a glimpse of a younger, more volatile Panem, still codifying the lethal rituals that came to define its authoritarian grip.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for codify
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Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Our contract enabled the school district to implement mandatory recess for elementary school students; codify smaller class sizes; expand access to honors, arts, music and sports; and establish dual language schools in the Black community on the West and South sides.
—Stacy Davis Gates, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
It will be officially codified into the city’s municipal code during a second reading at the April 21 council meeting.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
The latest trailer offers a glimpse of a younger, more volatile Panem, still codifying the lethal rituals that came to define its authoritarian grip.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 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 28 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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