dichotomy

di·chot·o·my

 (dī-kŏt′ə-mē)

n. pl. di·chot·o·mies

1. A division into two contrasting parts or categories: the dichotomy between rural and urban communities; regards the division between nature and nurture as a false dichotomy.

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.

---

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

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

dichotomy

(daɪˈkɒtəmɪ)

n, pl -mies

1. division into two parts or classifications, esp when they are sharply distinguished or opposed: the dichotomy between eastern and western cultures.

2. (Logic) logic the division of a class into two mutually exclusive subclasses: the dichotomy of married and single people.

3. (Botany) botany a simple method of branching by repeated division into two equal parts

4. (Astronomy) the phase of the moon, Venus, or Mercury when half of the disc is visible

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

diˈchotomous, dichotomic adj

diˈchotomously adv

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

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

di•chot•o•my

(daɪˈkɒt ə mi)

n., pl. -mies.

1. division into two parts or kinds; subdivision into halves or pairs.

2. division into two exclusive, opposed, or contradictory groups: a dichotomy between thought and action.

3. a mode of branching by constant forking, as in some stems.

4. the phase of the moon or of an inferior planet when half of its disk is visible.

[1600–10; < Greek]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

dichotomy

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

See also: Classification

-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

dichotomy

noun division, gulf, split, separation, polarity, disjunction a dichotomy between the academic world and the industrial world

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 thought by many to be incorrect, and dilemma is a more appropriate alternative.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

διχοτομία

dichotomie

dicotomia

dichotomy

[dɪˈkɒtəmɪ] N → dicotomía f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

dichotomy

[daɪˈkɒtəmi] n → dichotomie f
a dichotomy between → une dichotomie entre

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

dichotomy

n → Trennung f, → Dichotomie f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

dichotomy

[dɪˈkɒtəmɪ] n (frm) → dicotomia

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

di·chot·o·my

, dichotomization

n. dicotomía, dicotomización, división en dos partes; bifurcación.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012