Subcategorize

Origin

- + sub + categorize

Full definition of subcategorize

Verb

1. (transitive) To categorize more specifically by placing in a subcategory.
2. (grammar) To practice subcategorization.
• 1988, Andrew Radford, Transformational grammar: a first course Chapter 8, As we see from the examples in (55):
  (55) (a)      John will put the car in the garage
  (55) (b)     ^✽John will put the car
  (55) (c)     ^✽John will put in the garage
  (55) (d)     ^✽John will put
  the Verb put subcategorizes (i.e. ‘takesʼ) obligatory NP and PP complements (to simplify exposition here, we ignore the fact that the subcategorization properties of put may be predictable from its thematic properties, and from general word-order principles such as the STRICT ADJACENCY CONDITION).