əˈsɔːtmənt ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən ˈkɒm.pɑː(ɹ)t.mɛntl̩.aɪˌzeɪ.ʃən ˈkɒm.pɑː(ɹ)t.mɛntl̩.aɪˌzeɪ.ʃən the act of distributing things into classes or categories of the same type the basic cognitive process of arranging into classes or categories a group of people or things arranged by class or category