taxonomy

noun

tax·​on·​o·​my tak-ˈsä-nə-mē How to pronounce taxonomy (audio)
1
: the study of the general principles of scientific classification : systematics
2
: classification
especially : orderly classification of plants and animals according to their presumed natural relationships
taxonomic
ˌtak-sə-ˈnä-mik How to pronounce taxonomy (audio)
adjective
or less commonly taxonomical
ˌtak-sə-ˈnä-mi-kəl How to pronounce taxonomy (audio)
taxonomically
ˌtak-sə-ˈnä-mi-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce taxonomy (audio)
adverb
taxonomist
tak-ˈsä-nə-mist How to pronounce taxonomy (audio)
noun

Examples of taxonomy in a Sentence

the taxonomies of various plant groups
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The third key step is developing and governing a unified taxonomy. —Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 Some of the earliest criticisms were from this school of taxonomy that was called numerical taxonomy, or phenetics. —Janna Levin, Quanta Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024 Parsing the taxonomy of extinct animals is a notoriously tricky business. —Asher Elbein, Scientific American, 24 Sep. 2024 What are the tropes, the touch points, the themes, the taxonomies, the treasures, the traps? —Rachel Handler, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for taxonomy 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French taxonomie, from Greek táxis "arrangement, order" + French -o- -o- + -nomie -nomy — more at taxis

Note: French taxonomie was a coinage of the Geneva-born botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle (1778-1841), in Théorie élémentaire de la botanique (Paris, 1813). Candolle divided botany into three divisions (p. 19): "… elle se compose 1.o de la Glossologie, c'est-à-dire, de la connaissance des termes par lesquels on designe les organes des plantes et leurs diverses modification; 2.o de la Taxonomie [footnote: "Mot formé de ταξις ordre, et νόμος loi, règle."], ou de la Théorie des classifications appliquée au règne végétal; 3.o de la Phytographie, ou de l'art de décrire les plantes de la manière la plus utile aux progrès de la science …" ("… it is composed of 1.o Glossology, that is, the recognition of the terms by which the organs of plants are designated, and their various modifications; ; 2.o Taxonomy [footnote: "Word formed from táxis order, and nómos law, rule."], or the theory of classifications applied to the vegetable kingdom; 3.o Phytography, or the art of describing plants in the manner most suited to the progress of science"). A more correct compounding form in terms of Greek word formation would have been taxi- (as táxis is an i-stem), and taxinomy did in fact see some use in the 19th century—though Candolle's original coinage has predominated. His parallel introductions, glossology and phytography, have rarely been employed.

First Known Use

circa 1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of taxonomy was circa 1828

Phrases Containing taxonomy

Dictionary Entries Near taxonomy

taxon

taxonomy

taxor

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Taxonomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taxonomy. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

taxonomy

noun
tax·​on·​o·​my tak-ˈsän-ə-mē How to pronounce taxonomy (audio)
1
: the study of scientific classification
2
: classification sense 2a
especially : orderly classification of living things according to their presumed natural relationships
taxonomic
ˌtak-sə-ˈnäm-ik How to pronounce taxonomy (audio)
adjective

Medical Definition

taxonomy

noun
tax·​on·​o·​my tak-ˈsän-ə-mē How to pronounce taxonomy (audio)
plural taxonomies
1
: the study of the general principles of scientific classification : systematics
2
: orderly classification of plants and animals according to their presumed natural relationships

More from Merriam-Webster on taxonomy

Britannica English: Translation of taxonomy for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about taxonomy

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