taxis
1 Americannoun
plural
taxes-
arrangement or order, as in one of the physical sciences.
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Biology. oriented movement of a motile organism in response to an external stimulus, as toward or away from light.
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Surgery. the replacing of a displaced part, or the reducing of a hernia or the like, by manipulation without cutting.
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Architecture. the adaptation to the purposes of a building of its various parts.
noun
combining form
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indicating movement towards or away from a specified stimulus
thermotaxis
-
order or arrangement
phyllotaxis
noun
-
the movement of a cell or organism in a particular direction in response to an external stimulus
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surgery the repositioning of a displaced organ or part by manual manipulation only
Other Word Forms
- -tactic combining form
Etymology
Origin of taxis
1720–30; < New Latin < Greek táxis, equivalent to tak- (base of tássein to arrange, put in order) + -sis -sis
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Belfast black taxi driver Robert McAllister said that "all taxis should be in the bus lanes" except for Ubers.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
“By carefully choosing our location, 90% of our daily needs are within a 10-minute stroll. Otherwise, we take taxis with an average fare of $2.50 or ride Cuenca’s light rail for 17 cents.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
Services such as couriers, taxis and retail business all depend on the mobile internet.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
"There are colleagues who have been here for four hours," said Emmanuel Gedeon Nzunzi, who drives one of the motorcycle taxis that are essential in the overcrowded and congested city of around 17 million people.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
The boys made their way to the back, where the smaller motors for sleek water taxis were being sold and repaired.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.