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Definition of dichotomy
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 : the phase of the moon or an inferior planet in which half its disk appears illuminated
3a : bifurcation; especially : repeated bifurcation (as of a plant's stem)b : a system of branching in which the main axis forks repeatedly into two branchesc : branching of an ancestral line into two equal diverging branches
4 : 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
From the M-W Editors
Examples of dichotomy in a Sentence
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
Recent Examples of dichotomy from the Web
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This Manichean dichotomy means that there’s no way for any reasonable or tempered debate to emerge over proper behavior or coverage.
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Among the oldest dichotomies in movies is between those motion pictures that take the world as given (cinéma vérité) and those that create their very own (animation).
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For Boundless, Tamaki skips over the comic-graphic novel dichotomy altogether.
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Nunez’s position is illustrative of the dichotomy of Boulder County’s super-heated economy: Jobs are plentiful, yet incomes are declining.
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The dichotomy is part of the reason Perry decided to get such a drastic pixie haircut.
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Reston is an interesting dichotomy: a wealthy suburb with a lot of striving immigrant families that struggle to afford college.
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There’s an urge to simplify, to deal in dichotomies: Filipino versus American, devotion versus exploitation.
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There’s sort of a dichotomy invention and experience.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dichotomy'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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.
Origin and Etymology of dichotomy
Greek dichotomia, from dichotomos —see dichotomous
Other Biology Terms
DICHOTOMY Defined for English Language Learners
dichotomy
playDefinition of dichotomy for English Language Learners
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: a difference between two opposite things : a division into two opposite groups
Medical Dictionary
dichotomy
playMedical Definition of dichotomy
dichotomies
: a division or forking into branches; especially : repeated bifurcation
Learn More about dichotomy
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See words that rhyme with dichotomy Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dichotomy Nglish: Translation of dichotomy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of dichotomy for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dichotomy
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