categorical
UK: ˌkæt.ɪˈɡɒr.ɪ.kəl | US: ˌkæt̬.əˈɡɔːr.ɪ.kəl
adj. absolute; without exceptions or conditions
adj. relating to categories or classification
The word "categorical" traces back to the Greek katēgoria ("accusation, prediction, category"), derived from kata (down, against) + agoreuein (to speak publicly, from agora "assembly"). The term evolved through Latin categoria and Late Latin categoricus to denote classification or assertion. The modern sense of "absolute" reflects its use in logic, where categorical statements are unconditional.
She gave a categorical denial of the allegations.
The philosopher discussed categorical distinctions in ethics.
His refusal was categorical—no further discussion allowed.
The study uses categorical data for statistical analysis.
A categorical imperative in Kantian ethics is universally binding.