A method for providing a polyhierarchical classification includes identifying properties of objects useful for distinguishing objects under classification. A plurality of criteria are identified for specializing the identified properties. A form is chosen for attributive expressions that describe classification categories. The attributive expressions are customizable and encode compositions of object properties in terms of attributes from the plurality of criteria. A domain of applicability is identified for each criterion that is representable by attributive expressions, and a dependence relationship between criteria is defined by the inclusion of attributes in the attributive expressions, where a selected criterion depends on another criterion if its domain of applicability includes at least one attribute by the other criterion. A generating polyhierarchy of criteria is automatically established by the dependence relationships between the criteria. The generating polyhierarchy of criteria implicitly defines an induced polyhierarchy of classification categories.