dichotomy

[ dahy-kot-uh-mee ]
/ daɪˈkɒt ə mi /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR dichotomy ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural di·chot·o·mies.

division into two parts, kinds, etc.; subdivision into halves or pairs.
division into two mutually exclusive, opposed, or contradictory groups: a dichotomy between thought and action.
Botany. a mode of branching by constant forking, as in some stems, in veins of leaves, etc.
Astronomy. the phase of the moon or of an inferior planet when half of its disk is visible.

Origin of dichotomy

From the Greek word dichotomía, dating back to 1600–10. See dicho-, -tomy

OTHER WORDS FROM dichotomy

di·cho·tom·ic [dahy-kuh-tom-ik] /ˌdaɪ kəˈtɒm ɪk/, adjective di·cho·tom·i·cal·ly, adverb sub·di·chot·o·my, noun, plural sub·di·chot·o·mies.

Words nearby dichotomy

dichotic, dichotomize, dichotomous, dichotomous key, dichotomous question, dichotomy, dichroic, dichroic filter, dichroism, dichroite, dichromate

Words related to dichotomic

binary, amphibian, diploid, bilateral, dual, bifurcate, amphibious, bicameral, bigeminal, binal, bipartisan, bipartite, dichotomous, distichous, dualistic, dyadic

Example sentences from the Web for dichotomic

  • They do not arise from the dichotomic process of classification, but from the polar relations of things.

    The Religious Sentiment |Daniel G. Brinton

  • To obviate the matter Lamarck conceived and proposed the dichotomic method for the easy determination of species.

    Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution |Alpheus Spring Packard

British Dictionary definitions for dichotomic

dichotomy
/ (daɪˈkɒtəmɪ) /

noun plural -mies

division into two parts or classifications, esp when they are sharply distinguished or opposed the dichotomy between eastern and western cultures
logic the division of a class into two mutually exclusive subclasses the dichotomy of married and single people
botany a simple method of branching by repeated division into two equal parts
the phase of the moon, Venus, or Mercury when half of the disc is visible

Derived forms of dichotomy

dichotomous or dichotomic (ˌdaɪkəʊˈtɒmɪk), adjective dichotomously, adverb

Word Origin for dichotomy

C17: from Greek dichotomia; see dicho-, -tomy

usage for dichotomy

Dichotomy should always refer to a division of some kind into two groups. It is sometimes used to refer to a puzzling situation which seems to involve a contradiction, but this use is generally thought to be incorrect