category

noun

cat·​e·​go·​ry ˈka-tə-ˌgȯr-ē How to pronounce category (audio)
plural categories
1
: any of several fundamental and distinct classes to which entities or concepts belong
Taxpayers fall into one of several categories.
2
: a division within a system of classification
She competed for the award in her age category.

Examples of category in a Sentence

The cars belong to the same category. Taxpayers fall into one of several categories. She competed for the award in her age category.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The reigning brand champion in the category is Johnnie Walker, which has dominated global whiskey sales throughout the 21st Century. Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025 Viju Mathew Shifting gears from his degree in physical geography, Viju Mathew has spent the last decade covering most categories of the luxury market prior to becoming Robb Report's automotive editor. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 21 June 2025 Fall purchases As fall rolled around, fresh fruit and vegetables continued to dominate in the groceries category while trending items changed to reflect seasonal celebrations. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 June 2025 With governmental subsidies that cover categories such as home appliances and digital products, sales of these categories rose 283 percent year-over-year during the the first leg of the promotional period, which ran from early May to May 30, according to data from Moojing Market Intelligence. Denni Hu, Footwear News, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for category

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin categoria, from Greek katēgoria predication, category, from katēgorein to accuse, affirm, predicate, from kata- + agora public assembly, from ageirein to gather

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of category was in 1588

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Category.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/category. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

category

noun
cat·​e·​go·​ry ˈkat-ə-ˌgōr-ē How to pronounce category (audio)
-ˌgȯr-
plural categories
1
: one of the divisions or groupings used in a system of classification
"species" and "genus" are biological categories
2

More from Merriam-Webster on category

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!