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

Did you know?

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

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 on the Web

The vast sculpture was exhibited at White Cube in 2024 and recalls Egon Schiele’s drawing of a nude woman bent over and viewed from behind, creating a dichotomy of vulnerability and longing. —Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

Siena Kelly and Rosy McEwen are both aces as former classmates who cross paths years later in their workplace, raising chewy questions about the lingering effects of schoolyard trauma that challenge the villain-victim dichotomy. —Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025

Winner: Mac Studio Graphics Power Benchmarks: 3D, Gaming, and Workstation Speeds This dichotomy in performance between the Mac Studio and the Mac Mini really hits home when looking at their graphics results. —PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025

For us, visually, that's just such a fun challenge to be able to show that dichotomy and their alter egos. —ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2025

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

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dichotomy

• craniotomy
• lithotomy
• phlebotomy
• tenotomy
• vagotomy
• episiotomy
• laparotomy
• osteotomy
• thoracotomy
• tracheotomy
• ovariotomy

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