taxonomy
/tækˈsɒnəmi/ · tax·on·o·my
noun
- The science or technique used to make a classification. Scientists rely on taxonomy to organize the vast diversity of species they discover.
- A classification; especially a classification in a hierarchical system. The library's taxonomy groups books by genre, then by subgenre.
- The science of finding, describing, classifying and naming organisms. Modern taxonomy combines genetic analysis with traditional morphological studies.
Did you know? The term taxonomy was coined by Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1813, originally referring to any systematic arrangement before becoming specialized for biological classification.
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