sort meaning and definition

SORT noun

Definition of sort (noun)

1. a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
   • "sculpture is a form of art"; "what kinds of desserts are there?"
   • synonyms: form, kind, variety
2. an approximate definition or example
   • "she wore a sort of magenta dress"; "she served a creamy sort of dessert thing"
3. a person of a particular character or nature
   • "what sort of person is he?"; "he's a good sort"
4. an operation that segregates items into groups according to a specified criterion
   • "the bottleneck in mail delivery is the process of sorting"
   • synonyms: sorting

SORT verb

Definition of sort (verb)

1. examine in order to test suitability
   • "screen these samples"; "screen the job applicants"
   • synonyms: screen, screen out, sieve
2. arrange or order by classes or categories
   • "How would you classify these pottery shards--are they prehistoric?"
   • synonyms: assort, class, classify, separate, sort out