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 adjective
or less commonly taxonomical
taxonomically adverb
taxonomist noun

Examples of taxonomy in a Sentence

the taxonomies of various plant groups
Recent Examples on the Web Skills taxonomies translate vague performance issues into actionable development areas. Omer Glass, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024 Another featured a taxonomy of jellyfish extending onto its sleeves. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 26 Sep. 2024 Looking back on the Mean Girl Cinema of the decade, a number of trends emerged that seemed worthy of the taxonomy treatment. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2024 Just as traditional trade regimes require goods and services to be priced and their origins defined, so, too, must this framework create a taxonomy to classify data flows by value and source. Matthew J. Slaughter, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2021 See all Example Sentences for taxonomy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'taxonomy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near taxonomy

Cite this Entry

“Taxonomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taxonomy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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 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

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