pigeonhole /; AmE / verb, noun

■ verb [+ obj]

to decide that sb/sth belongs to a particular group or type, often without thinking deeply enough about it:

She never tried to pigeonhole her customers.

SYN CATEGORIZE

■ noun [C]

1

one of a set of small boxes that are fixed on a wall and open at the front, used for putting letters, messages, etc. in:

The letter had been put in the wrong pigeonhole.

2

a group or type of people or things that sb/sth is put into, that is often too general, unfair or not correct:

Many clients want their advisers to fit into neat pigeonholes.

SYN CATEGORY

• firmware
• first class
• first-generation
• first half
• first in, first out
• first-line manager
• first mover
• first order of business
• first refusal
• first-round financing
• first section
• first tier
• first-tier supplier
• first-time
• fiscal
• fiscal drag
• fiscal policy
• fiscal year
• fishbone diagram
• fishery
• fish farm
• fit
• fitness
• fitter
• five-and-dime