classify

C3L1A1S1S1I1F4Y4
UK/ˈklæs.ɪ.faɪ/US/ˈklæs.əˌfaɪ/

verb

to identify by or divide into classes; to categorize

“They decided to classify that information.”

Similar
brandcastticketclasscategorizecompartmentalisedistributedivide
Opposite
declassify
OriginFrench classifier →
Less commonScrabble 16
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Meanings

verbclassify (third-person singular simple present classifies, present participle classifying, simple past and past participle classified)

present singular third person classifies · participle present classifying · participle past classified · past classified

  1. to identify by or divide into classes; to categorize

    Should we classify "make up" as an idiom or as a phrasal verb?

  2. to declare something a secret, especially a government secret

    They decided to classify that information.

  3. To make classy

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
brandcastticketclasscategorizecompartmentalisedistributedivideestimateevaluategaugejudgelabelmeasureoverclassifypegpigeonholesortsubdividewinnow

antonym(s) of “to declare a secret”

Opposite
declassify
Broader
identify
Narrower
appraise

verbarrange or order by classes or categories

Similar
classsortassortsort outseparate
Broader
categorizecategorise

verbdeclare unavailable, as for security reasons

Opposite
declassify
Broader
restrictcontrol

verbassign to a class or kind

Similar
relegate
Broader
assignattribute
Also see
arrangeassortclassgroupmarkorganizerelegateseparatesortsort out

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchclassifier
  2. Englishclassify

From French classifier. By surface analysis, class + -ify.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic صَنَّفَ, قَسَّمَ
  • صَنَّفَ (ṣannafa)identify or divide into classes
  • قَسَّمَ (qassama)identify or divide into classes
Bulgarian класифицирам
  • класифицирам (klasificiram)identify or divide into classes
Catalan classificar
  • classificaridentify or divide into classes
Chinese Mandarin 分類 /分类, 分等
  • 分類 /分类 (fēnlèi)identify or divide into classes
  • 分等 (fēnděng)identify or divide into classes
  • 定為機密 /定为机密 (dìngwéi jīmì)declare secret
Czech klasifikovat
  • klasifikovatidentify or divide into classes
Danish klassificere
  • klassificereidentify or divide into classes
Dutch rangschikken, classificeren
  • rangschikkenidentify or divide into classes
  • classificerenidentify or divide into classes
Esperanto klasifiki
  • klasifikiidentify or divide into classes
Estonian klassifitseerima, liigitama
  • klassifitseerimaidentify or divide into classes
  • liigitamaidentify or divide into classes
Finnish luokitella, jäsentää
  • luokitellaidentify or divide into classes
  • jäsentääidentify or divide into classes
  • lajitellaidentify or divide into classes
  • ryhmittääidentify or divide into classes
  • luokitella salaiseksideclare secret
French classifier, classifier
  • classifieridentify or divide into classes
  • classifierdeclare secret
German einordnen, einstufen
  • einordnenidentify or divide into classes
  • einstufenidentify or divide into classes
  • unterteilenidentify or divide into classes
  • klassifizierenidentify or divide into classes
  • als vertraulich / geheim einstufendeclare secret
Hungarian osztályoz
  • osztályozidentify or divide into classes
Indonesian mengelaskan, mengklasifikasi
  • mengelaskanidentify or divide into classes
  • mengklasifikasiidentify or divide into classes
  • mengklasifikasikanidentify or divide into classes
  • mengelompokkanidentify or divide into classes
Irish rangaigh
  • rangaighidentify or divide into classes
Japanese 分類する
  • 分類する (bunrui suru)identify or divide into classes
Latin discribō
  • discribōidentify or divide into classes
Latvian klasificēt
  • klasificētidentify or divide into classes
Malay mengelaskan, mengklasifikasikan
  • mengelaskanidentify or divide into classes
  • mengklasifikasikanidentify or divide into classes
Māori whakarōpū, kōmaka
  • whakarōpūidentify or divide into classes
  • kōmakaidentify or divide into classes
Persian نوعردن, سانردن
  • نوعردنidentify or divide into classes
  • سانردنidentify or divide into classes
Polish klasyfikować
  • klasyfikowaćidentify or divide into classes
Portuguese classificar, classificar
  • classificaridentify or divide into classes
  • classificardeclare secret
Romanian clasifica
  • clasificaidentify or divide into classes
Russian классифици́ровать, засекре́чивать
  • классифици́ровать (klassificírovatʹ)identify or divide into classes
  • засекре́чивать (zasekréčivatʹ)declare secret
  • засекре́тить (zasekrétitʹ)declare secret
Spanish clasificar, encasillar
  • clasificaridentify or divide into classes
  • encasillaridentify or divide into classes
  • clasificardeclare secret
Swahili -ainisha
  • -ainishaidentify or divide into classes
Swedish klassificera
  • klassificeraidentify or divide into classes
Thai จำแนก
  • จำแนกidentify or divide into classes
Ukrainian класифікува́ти, засекре́чувати
  • класифікува́ти (klasyfikuváty)identify or divide into classes
  • засекре́чувати (zasekréčuvaty)declare secret
  • засекре́тити (zasekrétyty)declare secret
Vietnamese phân loại
  • phân loạiidentify or divide into classes
Cite this entry
APA

classify. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/classify

MLA

“classify.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/classify. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “classify,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/classify.

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