English Explanatory Dictionary

dichotomy

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A separation or division into two; a distinction that results in such a division.
  2. Such a division involving apparently incompatible or opposite principles; a duality.
  3. The division of a class into two disjoint subclasses that are together comprehensive, as the division of human into female and male.
  4. The division of a genus into two species; a division into two subordinate parts.
  5. A phase of the moon when it appears half lit and half dark, for example at the quadratures.
  6. Division and subdivision; bifurcation, such as that of a stem of a plant or a vein of the body into two parts as it proceeds from its origin; often successive.

Pronunciation

/daɪˈkɒtəmi/ /dɪ-/ /daɪˈkɑtəmi/ [-ɾə-] en-us-dichotomy.ogg /daɪˈkɒt.ə.mi/ [daɪˈkɒɾ.ə.mi] /dɑeˈkɔt.ə.mi/ [dɑe̯ˈkɔɾ.ə.mi] en-au-dichotomy.ogg /ɖajkʰo.ʈɔmi/ /ɖajˈkʰɔʈəmi/

Word forms

dichotomy dichotomies

Etymology

From Ancient Greek διχοτομία (dikhotomía, “dichotomy”).

Synonyms

bisection partition trichotomy

Related words

bifurcation bisection discretization duality law of the excluded middle partition

Derived words

dichomatic dichotomic dichotomically dichotomise dichotomism dichotomist dichotomization dichotomize dichotomous false dichotomy Ousterhout's dichotomy subdichotomy
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