What does taxonomy mean?
Taxonomy is the systematic classification of living things or other entities into ordered groups. In biology, it provides a hierarchical structure for identifying and naming organisms, placing each group within progressively broader categories based on shared characteristics. The best-known form of this classification is the Linnaean system, which organizes organisms by ranks such as species, genus, and family. Beyond biology, taxonomy describes any carefully designed scheme for bringing order to a complicated subject, such as a classification of artworks, customer types, or historical documents. The word carries a formal, scholarly tone and often suggests precision and consistency rather than an informal arrangement. Its value lies in turning diverse subjects into a navigable system: it gives each item a defined place and makes relationships between groups easier to recognize. Although everyday usage sometimes overlaps with systematics, taxonomy more specifically emphasizes the classification framework itself.
nounThe systematic arrangement and classification of organisms into hierarchical groups, especially in biology. More generally, it refers to any organized scheme for classifying entities according to shared characteristics.
- The science, practice, or system of classifying organisms into hierarchical groups, especially by biological characteristics.
- Any systematic arrangement or classification of people, objects, ideas, or other entities.
"The museum revised its taxonomy of contemporary sculpture after acquiring several previously uncategorized works."
"The classification of whales within the order Cetartiodactyla is an important part of biological taxonomy."
"The company developed a new taxonomy of customer types to improve its marketing strategy."
The regular plural is taxonomies; in biological writing, taxonomies may refer to different systems of classification.
"The two taxonomies place the species in different families."
From the Greek words for “arrangement” and “law,” taxonomy literally means the science of putting things in order.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does taxonomy come from?
Taxonomy entered English in the early nineteenth century from modern Latin taxonomia, a formation based on Greek taxis, meaning “arrangement” or “order,” and nomos, meaning “law.” Its components reflect the original idea of classification as an orderly system governed by rules. Related English words such as taxi, taxis, tactic, and tactical ultimately derive from the same Greek root for arrangement or order.
Related word forms
How taxonomy is actually used
In biology, taxonomy is formal and technical, covering the naming and classification of organisms. Although it is sometimes used interchangeably with systematics, taxonomy primarily concerns hierarchical classification, whereas systematics also studies evolutionary relationships. The main pronunciation difference between British and American English is the vowel in the third syllable.
Easily confused with taxonomy
A taxon is an individual group in a classification system, whereas taxonomy is the system or practice of classifying organisms.