taxonomy

tax·on·o·my

noun \tak-ˈsä-nə-mē\

Definition of TAXONOMY

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

— tax·o·nom·ic \ˌtak-sə-ˈnä-mik\ also tax·o·nom·i·cal \-mi-kəl\ adjective

— tax·o·nom·i·cal·ly \-mi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

— tax·on·o·mist \tak-ˈsä-nə-mist\ noun

Examples of TAXONOMY

1. the taxonomies of various plant groups

Origin of TAXONOMY

French taxonomie, from tax- + -nomie -nomy

First Known Use: circa 1828

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

Rhymes with TAXONOMY

antonymy, autonomy, economy, eponymy, gastronomy, synonymy