alphabetize

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verb

To arrange words or items in order of the first (and then subsequent) letters as they occur in the alphabet.

“It was almost impossible to locate specific books in the library until we had alphabetized them by the authors' surnames.”

Similar
alphabetise
OriginEnglish alphabet(ical) ← Middle English alphabete ← Classical Latin alphabētum →
UncommonScrabble 27
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Meanings

verbalphabetize (third-person singular simple present alphabetizes, present participle alphabetizing, simple past and past participle alphabetized)

present singular third person alphabetizes · participle present alphabetizing · participle past alphabetized · past alphabetized · alternative alphabetise

  1. CanadaUStransitiveTo arrange words or items in order of the first (and then subsequent) letters as they occur in the alphabet.

    It was almost impossible to locate specific books in the library until we had alphabetized them by the authors' surnames.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbarrange in alphabetical order

Similar
alphabetise
Broader
arrangeset up
Also see
alphabet

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Semitic*ʔalp-
  2. Phoenician𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)
  3. Ancient Greekἄλφα (álpha)
  4. Proto-Semitic*bayt-
  5. Phoenician𐤁𐤕 (bt)
  6. Ancient Greekβῆτᾰ (bêtă)
  7. Ancient Greekἀλφάβητος (alphábētos)
  8. Medieval Greekἀλφάβητον (alphábēton)
  9. Classical Latinalphabētum
  10. Middle Englishalphabete
  11. Englishalphabet(ical)
  12. Englishalphabetize

From alphabet(ical) + -ize.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan alfabetitzar
  • alfabetitzarto arrange alphabetically
Finnish aakkostaa
  • aakkostaato arrange alphabetically
German alphabetisieren, alphabetisch sortieren
  • alphabetisierento arrange alphabetically
  • alphabetisch sortierento arrange alphabetically
Greek αλφαβητίζω
  • αλφαβητίζω (alfavitízo)to arrange alphabetically
Italian alfabetizzare
  • alfabetizzareto arrange alphabetically
Polish alfabetyzować, zalfabetyzować
  • alfabetyzowaćto arrange alphabetically
  • zalfabetyzowaćto arrange alphabetically
Portuguese alfabetar, ordenar alfabeticamente
  • alfabetarto arrange alphabetically
  • ordenar alfabeticamenteto arrange alphabetically
  • pôr em ordem alfabéticato arrange alphabetically
  • colocar em ordem alfabéticato arrange alphabetically
Spanish alfabetizar, ordenar alfabeticamente
  • alfabetizarto arrange alphabetically
  • ordenar alfabeticamenteto arrange alphabetically
  • poner en orden alfabéticoto arrange alphabetically
Swedish alfabetisera
  • alfabetiserato arrange alphabetically
Ukrainian абеткува́ти
  • абеткува́ти (abetkuváty)to arrange alphabetically
Welsh rhoi yn nhrefn yr wyddor
  • rhoi yn nhrefn yr wyddorto arrange alphabetically
Cite this entry
APA

alphabetize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alphabetize

MLA

“alphabetize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alphabetize. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alphabetize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alphabetize.

Source: alphabetize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.