taxonomy

noun

tax·​on·​o·​my tak-ˈsä-nə-mē 

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

ˌtak-sə-ˈnä-mik 

adjective

or less commonly taxonomical

ˌtak-sə-ˈnä-mi-kəl 

taxonomically

ˌtak-sə-ˈnä-mi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

taxonomist

tak-ˈsä-nə-mist 

noun

Examples of taxonomy in a Sentence

the taxonomies of various plant groups

Recent Examples on the Web

On the topic of taxonomy, most Sansevieria have been moved lately into the genus Dracaena, based on recent DNA analysis, with the Sansevieria name now considered an older synonym. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025

But without gatekeepers, there’s no taxonomy. —Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2025

Many liken taxonomy to cataloging an already burning library. —Marion Renault, The Atlantic, 29 Sep. 2025

Rather than a history of the genre or a taxonomy of its many styles and scenes, the series profiles a different personality or act in each episode. —Judy Berman, Time, 29 Sep. 2025

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

Phrases Containing taxonomy

• numerical taxonomy

Rhymes for taxonomy

• aeronomy
• agronomy
• astronomy
• autonomy
• economy
• gastronomy
• metonymy
• deuteronomy

Kids Definition

taxonomy

noun

tax·​on·​o·​my tak-ˈsän-ə-mē 

1

: the study of scientific classification

2

: classification sense 2a

especially : orderly classification of living things according to their presumed natural relationships

taxonomic

ˌtak-sə-ˈnäm-ik 

adjective

Medical Definition

taxonomy

noun

tax·​on·​o·​my tak-ˈsän-ə-mē 

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