dichotomy

noun

di·​chot·​o·​my dī-ˈkä-tə-mē 

 also  də-

plural dichotomies

1

: a division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities

the dichotomy between theory and practice

also : the process or practice of making such a division

dichotomy of the population into two opposed classes

2

: something with seemingly contradictory qualities

it's a dichotomy, this opulent Ritz-style luxury in a place that fronts on a boat harbor

—Jean T. Barrett

3

: the phase of the moon or an inferior planet in which half its disk appears illuminated

4

a

: bifurcation

especially : repeated bifurcation (as of a plant's stem)

b

: a system of branching in which the main axis forks repeatedly into two branches

c

: branching of an ancestral line into two equal diverging branches

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Dichotomy and False Dichotomy

The two most commonly used senses of dichotomy are easily (and often) confused. The older one refers to the division of something into two groups that often are mutually exclusive or contradictory (as in “the dichotomy between good and evil”). Like trichotomy (meaning “division into three parts”), this sense denotes separation into different elements, but it adds the connotation of oppositeness. The newer sense of dichotomy denotes a thing that appears to have contradictory qualities, such as a lemonade stand found in a war zone. Dichotomy is frequently found in the company of the word false; a false dichotomy is a kind of fallacy in which one is given only two choices when in fact other options are available.

Synonyms

• contradiction
• incongruity
• paradox

Example Sentences

The amusing spectacle of the recent presidential vote in Florida should remind us of the persistence of the federal-state dichotomy. —Eugene Genovese, Atlantic, March 2001

At the close of this millennium, the favored dichotomy features a supposed battle called "the science wars." —Stephen Jay Gould, Science, 14 Jan. 2000

… to insist on its being either symbol or fact is to dwell needlessly on a false dichotomy. —Simon Schama, The Embarrassment of Riches, 1988

… the Inuit concept of their environment was centred around the dichotomy between land and sea. —Ian Hodder, Reading the Past, 1986

Her essay discusses the dichotomy between good and evil in the author's novels.

her outfit is a sartorial dichotomy: an elegant gown and ratty old tennis shoes

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Recent Examples on the Web

There is a difficult dichotomy that occurs when a negative event, like the neo-Nazi protest last month, takes place. —Max Mccormack, Harper's BAZAAR, 16 Mar. 2023

Lexi Livingstone Burgess, founder of Livingstone, looked to the history of Scotland’s whisky industry and the dichotomy of partnerships and rivalries over the years as his muse. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 2 Mar. 2023

The fact that Skyler is hated and Kim is celebrated highlights the dichotomy of the Bad universe. —Whitney Friedlander, SPIN, 21 July 2022

Below are examples of methodologies and tools that can help in addressing the dichotomy of risk and change. —Saeed Elnaj, Forbes, 27 June 2022

In this dichotomy, Zolita finds a clear narrative, telling her own story of moving through, out of and in between relationships; a pretty stellar feat to accomplish in six songs. —Stephen Daw, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2023

This dichotomy bleeds into myriad elements of understanding, from capital investments to personal biases. —Partners For Rural Transformation, Forbes, 19 May 2022

Entering Monday, Seager’s season from the plate had been a dichotomy between the expected and the actual. —Dallas News, 11 July 2022

There is also the dichotomy between the low elevation northern hemisphere and higher elevation southern hemisphere of the planet. —Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2022

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Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin dichotomia, borrowed from Greek dichotomía "division into two parts (of the moon, in logic), bisection," from dichótomos "cut in half, dichotomous" + -ia -ia entry 1

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

dichotomy

noun

di·​chot·​o·​my -mē 

plural dichotomies

: a division into or distinction between two groups that differ greatly

the dichotomy between good and evil

Medical Definition

dichotomy

noun

di·​chot·​o·​my

dī-ˈkät-ə-mē also də-

plural dichotomies

: a division or forking into branches

especially : repeated bifurcation