taxonomy

UK: tækˈsɒnəmi | US: tækˈsɑːnəmi

Definition
  1. n. The science or technique of classification, especially in biology for organizing organisms into hierarchical groups.

  2. n. Any systematic classification of entities (e.g., in linguistics, library science).

Structure
taxo <arrangement>nomy <system of rules>
Etymology

taxonomy = taxo<arrangement> + nomy<system of rules>

  • taxo (from Greek taxis, meaning "arrangement" or "order")
  • nomy (from Greek -nomia, meaning "system of rules" or "management")

Etymology Origin:
The word taxonomy emerged in the early 19th century, combining Greek taxis (order) and -nomia (method). It originally described biological classification systems (e.g., Linnaean taxonomy) but later expanded to other fields. The morphemes reflect a logical progression: "arrangement" + "rules" = a structured system of categorization.

Examples
  1. Modern taxonomy classifies organisms based on genetic relationships.

  2. The library uses a detailed taxonomy to organize its digital resources.

  3. Botanists revised the plant taxonomy after new DNA evidence emerged.

  4. A clear taxonomy is essential for efficient data management.

  5. The workshop covered taxonomy principles in software development.