Definition

1. Verb:
   • To place something or someone into a particular category or group based on shared characteristics or qualities. It involves organizing items systematically by type.

Usage

• The verb "categorise" describes the action of sorting or classifying. It is typically used with a direct object (the thing being sorted) and often followed by a prepositional phrase starting with "as" or "into" to specify the category.
• Common Patterns:
  • categorise + object
  • categorise + object + as + category
  • categorise + object + into + category/categories

Examples

• Verb:
  • Librarians categorise books by genre and author.
  • The app allows you to categorise your expenses as "essential" or "luxury".
  • Biologists categorise animals into different phyla.

Advanced Usage

• "to be categorised" (Passive Voice): Used to describe how something has been classified.
  • The new species has been categorised as critically endangered.
• "categorising" (Gerund/Noun form): Refers to the process or act of classification itself.
  • Categorising data is the first step in the analysis.

Variants and Related Words

• Categorize (verb): The preferred spelling in American English. It has the same meaning as "categorise".
• Category (noun): A class or group of things sharing common characteristics.
  • The competition has entries in several categories.
• Categorical (adjective): Absolute, without exception or conditions.
  • She gave a categorical denial to the accusation.
• Categorisation/Categorization (noun): The process or result of categorising.
  • The categorisation of these documents took several days.

Synonyms

• Classify: To arrange in classes or categories.
• Sort: To separate and put into different groups.
• Group: To put together in a category.
• Organise/Organize: To arrange systematically.

Antonyms

• Mix (up): To combine things so they are no longer separate.
• Jumble: To mix in a confused or disordered way.
• Disorganise/Disorganize: To destroy the order or arrangement of.

Related Phrases

• Lump together: To put different things into the same group, often without careful distinction. (This can imply a less precise action than "categorise").
  • You shouldn't lump all politicians together; they have different views.
• Pigeonhole (verb): To assign to a particular category, often in a rigid, restrictive, or oversimplified way.
  • He felt his work was pigeonholed as "commercial" and not taken seriously.

Verb

1. place into or assign to a category
   • Children learn early on to categorize