codify
verb
cod·i·fy
ˈkä-də-ˌfī 
ˈkō-
codified; codifying
1
: to reduce to a code
The convention codified the rules of war.
2
a
: systematize
Standardization refers to the process by which a language has been codified in some way.—
Ronald Wardhaugh
Ronald Wardhaugh
b
: classify
Customer complaints are codified as dissatisfaction feedback.
Did you know?
A code is a collection of laws arranged in an orderly way; famous examples include the Code of Hammurabi, from about 1760 B.C. in ancient Babylon, and the Napoleonic Code, produced at Napoleon's orders in 1804. Laws that have been included in a code have been codified. The rules of baseball differed greatly from one place to another until they were codified by Alexander Cartwright in 1845; they haven't changed much since, though we don't know what Cartwright would say about the designated hitter.
Examples of codify in a Sentence
The convention codified the rules of war.
The author tries to codify important ideas about language.
Recent Examples on the Web
These past two days have reinforced for me the importance of codifying principles and creating a road map to achieve them.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
This is because their fate is dictated not by smart growth, but by a redline that codified an old route when Highway 101 gave way to the I-5 originally laid out for open-air roadsters a century ago.
—Harry Bubbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
The doc conceit falls away, replaced by a shallow attempt at the eerily elegant, off-kilter horror style codified by 2018’s Hereditary.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
Supporters say the language, codifying the existing voter requirement would protect the citizen voting requirement, as well as boost voter confidence and eliminate confusion, according to the Texas Legislative Council.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for codify
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Diane Brady, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
This is because their fate is dictated not by smart growth, but by a redline that codified an old route when Highway 101 gave way to the I-5 originally laid out for open-air roadsters a century ago.
—Harry Bubbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
The doc conceit falls away, replaced by a shallow attempt at the eerily elegant, off-kilter horror style codified by 2018’s Hereditary.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
Supporters say the language, codifying the existing voter requirement would protect the citizen voting requirement, as well as boost voter confidence and eliminate confusion, according to the Texas Legislative Council.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for codify
Cite this Entry
“Codify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/codify. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
codify
verb
cod·i·fy
ˈkäd-ə-ˌfī
ˈkōd-
codified; codifying
: to arrange (as a collection of laws) in an orderly form
Legal Definition
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