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sort

n. · v.
US //ˈsɔɹt// UK //sˈɔːt// sort
  1. 1 a type or kind (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a group of things or people that are similar in some way.

    a category of things or people sharing common attributes.

    Example

    What sort of music do you usually listen to when you exercise?

    Example

    The researcher identified a specific sort of bacteria that thrived in extreme temperatures previously thought to be uninhabitable.
  2. 2 a person (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    a person of a particular character or nature.

    an individual characterized by a specific set of personality traits or behaviors.

    Example

    He seems like a decent sort of guy once you get to know him.

    Example

    She was a reliable sort, always the first to arrive and the last to leave whenever the office faced a deadline.
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  1. 3 data ordering (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

    the process of putting data into a specific order, like alphabetical or numerical.

    the systematic arrangement of data or objects into a specified sequence, often via an algorithm.

    Example

    The computer finished the sort of the database in less than a second.

    Example

    The software engineer implemented a quick sort to handle the massive dataset more efficiently than the previous linear method.
  2. 4 to organize items (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to put things into different groups or a certain order.

    to arrange or group items systematically according to shared characteristics or a desired sequence.

    Example

    I need to sort these clothes into piles for washing.

    Example

    The librarian spent the afternoon sorting the new acquisitions by genre before placing them on the display shelves.
  3. 5 to fix or handle (v.)
    B1 Intermediate British English Informal

    to deal with a problem or organize a situation successfully.

    to resolve a problem, organize a task, or clarify a confusing situation.

    Example

    Don't worry about the tickets; I'll sort it out this afternoon.

    Example

    The manager promised to sort the scheduling conflict before the morning shift began to avoid any further disruption.
Etymology 1

From Middle English sort, soort, sorte (cognate Dutch soort, German Sorte, Danish sort, Swedish sort), borrowed from Old French sorte (“class, kind”), from Latin sortem, accusative form of sors (“lot, fate, share, rank, category”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English sorten, from Old French sortir (“to allot, sort”), from Latin sortīre (“draw lots, divide, choose”), from sors.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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