cladistics
noun
cla·dis·tics
klə-ˈdi-stiks 
kla-
plural in form but singular in construction
: a system of biological taxonomy that defines taxa uniquely by shared characteristics not found in ancestral groups and uses inferred evolutionary relationships to arrange taxa in a branching hierarchy such that all members of a given taxon have the same ancestors
Examples of cladistics in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Biologists employ cladistics — a method that organizes species on schematic trees — to understand how life diversified over time.
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Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2020
Taking advantage of the latest cladistics tools, one of us (Marsh) tested that hypothesis by identifying hundreds of anatomical features present on each individual skeleton and comparing them with one another.
—Matthew A. Brown, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2021
Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2020
Taking advantage of the latest cladistics tools, one of us (Marsh) tested that hypothesis by identifying hundreds of anatomical features present on each individual skeleton and comparing them with one another.
—Matthew A. Brown, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cladistics.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1965, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near cladistics
Cite this Entry
“Cladistics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cladistics. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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More from Merriam-Webster on cladistics
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cladistics
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