What is the meaning of sorting?

noun

• An operation that segregates items into groups according to a specified criterion.
  • usage: "the bottleneck in mail delivery is the process of sorting"
  • synonyms: sort
• The basic cognitive process of arranging into classes or categories.
  • synonyms: classification, categorization, categorisation
• Grouping by class or kind or size.

verb

• Examine in order to test suitability.
  • usage: "screen these samples"; "screen the job applicants"
  • synonyms: screen, screen out, sieve, sort
• Arrange or order by classes or categories.
  • usage: "How would you classify these pottery shards-are they prehistoric"
  • synonyms: classify, class, sort, assort, sort out, separate