taxonomy

[ tak-son-uh-mee ]

noun

, plural tax·on·o·mies.

1. the science or technique of classification.
2. a classification into ordered categories:

   a proposed taxonomy of educational objectives.

3. Biology. the science dealing with the description, identification, naming, and classification of organisms.

taxonomy

/ tækˈsɒnəmɪ; ˌtæksəˈnɒmɪk /

noun

1. 1. the branch of biology concerned with the classification of organisms into groups based on similarities of structure, origin, etc
   2. the practice of arranging organisms in this way
2. the science or practice of classification

taxonomy

/ tăk-sŏn′ə-mē /

1. The scientific classification of organisms into specially named groups based either on shared characteristics or on evolutionary relationships as inferred from the fossil record or established by genetic analysis.

taxonomy

1. The classification of living things. ( See Linnean classification .)

Derived Forms

• ˌtaxoˈnomically, adverb
• taxˈonomist, noun
• taxonomic, adjective

Other Words From

• tax·o·nom·ic [tak-s, uh, -, nom, -ik], taxo·nomi·cal adjective
• taxo·nomi·cal·ly adverb
• tax·ono·mist tax·ono·mer noun
• nontax·o·nomic adjective
• nontax·o·nomi·cal adjective
• nontax·o·nomi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of taxonomy¹

First recorded in 1805–15, taxonomy is from the French word taxonomie. See taxo-, -nomy

Word History and Origins

Origin of taxonomy¹

C19: from French taxonomie, from Greek taxis order + -nomy

Example Sentences

As new information, particularly genetic information, has come in, scientists have realized that some groupings had been based on superficial similarities and have revised the taxonomy accordingly.

From Science News

Deals have been struck to make Magnite’s identity solution part of the taxonomy task force for the Prebid ad tech industry organization alongside the IAB Tech Lab’s Addressability working group.

From Digiday

Lastly, the campaign performance of rigid and limited taxonomies like this is not meeting the industry’s expectations, McKee concluded.

From Digiday

Contextual targeting for cross-device video faces a lot of the same problems that contextual faces in other digital markets, including the lack of an agreed-upon taxonomy for content.

From Digiday

This is a word used in taxonomy for a group of closely related species.

From Science News For Students

A better taxonomy would break us up by words like Acceptance, Partial Denial, and Total Denial.

From The Daily Beast

Taxonomy was another major area in which Aristotle influenced the history of science.

From The Daily Beast

Beyond this taxonomy of options, the big question is this: What outcome are we seeking with any military intervention?

From The Daily Beast

In order to make some sense of these questions, I undertook a Taxonomy of American Ignorance and Misperceptions.

From The Daily Beast

This instinctive taxonomy becomes more surprising still if we consider the variety of the game stored in a single burrow.

From Project Gutenberg

Taxonomy and distribution of the horned lizards genus Phrynosoma.

From Project Gutenberg

Work on the taxonomy and anatomy of marine animals was in general in full swing by the 'fifties and 'sixties.

From Project Gutenberg

As a mere question of taxonomy his theory would have been regarded by the lay world as harmless and uninteresting.

From Project Gutenberg

The taxonomy of some of the more important families of seed plants is discussed in a special section.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• allocation
• allotment
• analysis
• arrangement
• coordination
• designation
• distribution
• grade
• regulation