dichotomous

English

WOTD – 30 January 2008

Etymology

From the Late Latin dichotomos, from Ancient Greek διχότομος (dikhótomos, “cut in half”), from δίχα (díkha, “apart”) + τέμνω (témnō, “I cut”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /daɪˈkɒt.ə.məs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /daɪˈkɑːt.ə.məs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

dichotomous (not comparable)

1. Dividing or branching into two pieces.
   • 1992, Marie L. Hicks, Guide to the Liverworts of North Carolina, page 197:

     Genus Riccia L. Plants are thalloid, forming rosettes or loose, dichotomous patches.

Synonyms

• (dividing into two equal parts): bipartite, forked

Related terms

• dichotomy

Derived terms

Terms derived from dichotomous

• dichotomous key
• dichotomously

• dichotomousness
• nondichotomous

Translations

dividing or branching into two pieces

• German: dichotom (de)
• Latin: dichotomos
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: dikotom

• Polish: dwudzielny (pl) m, dychotomiczny (pl) m