category

noun

cat·​e·​go·​ry ˈka-tə-ˌgȯr-ē 

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.

Synonyms

• bracket
• class
• classification
• division
• family
• genus
• grade
• group
• kind
• league
• order
• rank(s)
• rubric
• set
• species
• tier
• type

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

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is well underway, and millions of deals are already moving fast across every category. —Averi Baudler, People.com, 29 Mar. 2025

Since 2012, Puerto Rico has not been allowed to submit a film for the Oscars in the international feature category. —Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025

Slacks and a dress are an easy choice for men looking to fit this category. —Shelby Wax, Vogue, 29 Mar. 2025

The report showed that employment in the state’s leisure and hospitality sector lost a net 3,600 positions in February, while the category of trade, transportation and utilities lost 3,300. —Jim Turner, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025

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

Rhymes for category

• allegory
• amatory
• auditory
• clerestory
• crematory
• desultory
• dilatory
• dormitory
• excretory
• extempore
• feudatory
• gustatory

Kids Definition

category

noun

cat·​e·​go·​ry ˈkat-ə-ˌgōr-ē 

-ˌgȯr-

plural categories

1

: one of the divisions or groupings used in a system of classification

"species" and "genus" are biological categories

2

: class entry 1 sense 3a, kind