taxonomies

Variant of taxonomy

noun pl. taxonomies

  1. the science of classification; laws and principles covering the classifying of objects
  2. Biol. a system of arranging animals and plants into natural, related groups based on some factor common to each, as structure, embryology, or biochemistry: the basic taxa now in use are, in descending order from most inclusive, kingdom, phylum (in botany, division), class, order, family, genus, and species

Origin: Fr taxonomie < Gr taxis (see taxis) + nomos, law (see -nomy)

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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