dichotomy

di·chot·o·my  (d-kt-m)

n. pl. di·chot·o·mies

1. Division into two usually contradictory parts or opinions: "the dichotomy of the one and the many" Louis Auchincloss.

2. Astronomy The phase of the moon, Mercury, or Venus when half of the disk is illuminated.

3. Botany Branching characterized by successive forking into two approximately equal divisions.

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[Greek dikhotomi, from dikhotomos, divided in two : dikho-, dicho- + temnein, to cut; see tem- in Indo-European roots.]

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dichotomy [die-kot-a-mee]

Noun

pl -mies division into two opposed groups or parts [Greek dicha in two + temnein to cut]

dichotomous adj

USAGE: 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.

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dichotomy

division of material into two parts for the purpose of classification. — dichotomist, n.

See also: Classification

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

dichotomy - being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses; "the dichotomy between eastern and western culture" duality categorisation, categorization, classification - a group of people or things arranged by class or category

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dichotomy

noun division, split, separation, disjunction

Translations

dichotomy [daɪˈkɔtəmɪ] n → dicotomía

dichotomy [daɪˈkɔtəmɪ] n → dichotomie f

dichotomy [daɪˈkɔtəmɪ] n → Dichotomie f, Kluft f

dichotomy [daɪˈkɔtəmɪ] n → dicotomia