Taxonomy is the science of defining and naming groups of biological organisms on the basis of shared characteristics. Organisms are grouped together into taxa and these groups are given a taxonomic rank; groups of a given rank can be aggregated to form a super-group of higher rank, thus creating a taxonomic hierarchy.
Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme of classes (a taxonomy) and the allocation of things to the classes (classification).
Originally, taxonomy referred only to the classification of organisms on the basis of shared characteristics. Today it also has a more general sense. It may refer to the classification of things or concepts, as well as to the principles underlying such work. Thus a taxonomy can be used to organize species, documents, videos or anything else.
A taxonomy organizes taxonomic units known as "taxa" (singular "taxon"). Many are hierarchies.
One function of a taxonomy is to help users more easily find what they are searching for. This may be effected in ways that include a library classification system and a search engine taxonomy.
Though often used interchangeably, taxonomies are distinct from typologies in that the former are concerned with empirical and objective characteristics, while the latter are concerned with abstract or subjective criteria.
English
Etymology
Borrowed from French taxonomie. By surface analysis, taxo- + -nomy.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /tækˈsɒn.ə.mi/
- (General American, dialects of Canada) IPA(key): /tækˈsɑ.nə.mi/
- (Canada, dialects of the US) IPA(key): /tækˈsɒn.ə.mi/
- (General Australian) IPA(key): /tækˈsɔn.ə.mi/
- (New Zealand) IPA(key): /tɛkˈsɒn.ə.mi/, [tɛkˈsɔ̟n.ə.mi]
- Rhymes: -ɒnəmi
Noun
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