From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcategoricalcat‧e‧gor‧i‧cal /ˌkætəˈɡɒrɪkəl◂ $ -ˈɡɔː-, -ˈɡɑː-/ adjective [usually before noun] TRUEa categorical statement is a clear statement that something is definitely true or falsecategorical denial/assurance etc Can you give us a categorical assurance that no jobs will be lost?
Examples from the Corpus
categorical• Evolution of ordered categorical data in each group was assessed by the Wilcoxon rank sum test.• Weber's agent issued a categorical denial that the incident had ever happened.• It ultimately relies on the notion that we order our world through the categorical distinctions of our language.• Since career development is mandated by state and federal categorical funds, the program is impossible to jettison.• The Senate plan thus anticipated simplifying the review process characteristic of the categorical grants.• For many outer-city and middle-class speakers, a raised vowel is already categorical in all environments.• The counselor would then electronically graze the 70 categorical pots of money.• But Whitehall sources dismissed the call and underlined Sir Patrick's own categorical statement.• Where deviance has a categorical, unproblematic quality, a penal response is triggered.categorical denial/assurance etc• Will my right hon. Friend give me a categorical assurance that that order was decided solely on price?• Can the Minister give us a categorical assurance that that will not happen?Origin categorical (1500-1600) Late Latin categoricus, from Greek, from kategoria; → CATEGORY 