Taxonomy
/tækˈsɒn.ə.mi/noun
The science of classifying organisms or things into ordered groups.
Did you know?Taxonomy comes from Greek roots tied to order and arrangement, and its sibling root shows up in words like 'tactic' and 'system'—proof that naming and organizing have always been acts of power.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
táxis
“order, arrangement, battle formation”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-nomia
“arrangement, method of management; from nemein, to distribute or assign”
17th-18th Century
French/Latin
taxonomie
“the science of classification”
Early 19th Century
English
taxonomy
“a system for classifying plants, animals, and other things”
Modern English
English
taxonomy
“the science or practice of classification”
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