/ ˈklæsɪfaɪ; NAmE / verb ( clas·si·fies , clas·si·fy·ing , clas·si·fied , clas·si·fied ) [ vn ]
1.
to arrange sth in groups according to features that they have in common :
The books in the library are classified according to subject.
Patients are classified into three categories.
2.
classify sb/sth as sth to decide which type or group sb/sth belongs to :
Only eleven of these accidents were classified as major.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 18th cent.: back-formation from classification , from French , from classe class, from Latin classis division.