classification
/,klæsifi'keiʃn/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The basic cognitive process of arranging into classes or categories: The act or method of systematically grouping things based on shared characteristics or qualities.
- The act of distributing things into classes or categories of the same type: The process of assigning items to specific, defined groups.
- A group of people or things arranged by class or category: The resulting system or scheme of categories created by the process of classification.
- Restriction imposed by the government on documents or weapons that are available only to certain authorized people: A security designation limiting access to information or material (e.g., "Top Secret").
Usage and Examples
Referring to the process:
- The classification of plants and animals is a fundamental part of biology.
- Her job involves the classification of library books according to the Dewey Decimal System.
Referring to the resulting system:
- This chart shows the classification of living organisms into kingdoms and phyla.
- The new classification of employees into different pay grades was announced.
Referring to a security level:
- The document has a "Confidential" classification.
- Access to that information requires a high-level security clearance due to its classification.
Advanced Usage
- "to defy classification": To be difficult or impossible to categorize neatly.
- His unique artistic style defies easy classification.
- "broad/narrow classification": Referring to the scope or specificity of the categories.
- "Vertebrate" is a broad classification, while "sparrow" is a very narrow one.
Variants and Related Words
- Classify (verb): To arrange or assign to a category.
- Scientists classify newly discovered species.
- Classifier (noun): A person or thing that classifies; in linguistics, a word indicating the class of a noun.
- Classifiable (adjective): Able to be classified.
- Reclassification (noun): The act of classifying something again or differently.
Synonyms
- Categorization: The action of placing into categories.
- Taxonomy: The science or practice of classification, especially in biology.
- Sorting: The process of separating and arranging into groups.
- Grading: Arranging in levels or ranks (often by quality).
Related Phrases
- Classification system/scheme: The structured set of categories used for organizing things.
- The Köppen climate classification system is used by geographers.
- Security classification: The official level of secrecy assigned to government information.
- The report's security classification was downgraded after ten years.
Idioms and Common Expressions
- "In a class of its own": So good or unique that it cannot be compared to others (related conceptually to the idea of classification).
- As a pianist, she is in a class of her own.
Noun
- restriction imposed by the government on documents or weapons that are available only to certain authorized people
- the basic cognitive process of arranging into classes or categories
- a group of people or things arranged by class or category
- the act of distributing things into classes or categories of the same type