dichotomy

[dahy-kot-uh-mee]

noun

plural

dichotomies 

1. division into two parts, kinds, etc.; subdivision into halves or pairs.

2. division into two mutually exclusive, opposed, or contradictory groups.

   a dichotomy between thought and action.

3. Botany.,  a mode of branching by constant forking, as in some stems, in veins of leaves, etc.

4. Astronomy.,  the phase of the moon or of an inferior planet when half of its disk is visible.

dichotomy

/ ˌdaɪkəʊˈtɒmɪk, daɪˈkɒtəmɪ /

noun

1. division into two parts or classifications, esp when they are sharply distinguished or opposed

   the dichotomy between eastern and western cultures

2. logic the division of a class into two mutually exclusive subclasses

   the dichotomy of married and single people

3. botany a simple method of branching by repeated division into two equal parts

4. the phase of the moon, Venus, or Mercury when half of the disc is visible

Usage

Dichotomy should always refer to a division of some kind into two groups. It is sometimes used to refer to a puzzling situation which seems to involve a contradiction, but this use is generally thought to be incorrect

Other Word Forms

• dichotomic adjective
• dichotomically adverb
• subdichotomy noun
• dichotomous adjective
• dichotomously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of dichotomy¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Late Latin dichotomia, from Greek dichotomía “dividing in two (of the quarters of the moon), point of a bisection, division into two parts”; dicho-, -tomy

Word History and Origins

Origin of dichotomy¹

C17: from Greek dichotomia; see _dicho- , _-tomy

Example Sentences

It’s an interesting dichotomy, though: I hate a bland, under-salted butter moment, but an overly salty one can be downright inedible.

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Behind the strange dichotomy: Employers are reluctant to hire given political uncertainty and rising costs, even as their investment, especially in AI, is boosting productivity and economic growth.

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Miller also pointed to the dichotomy of Porter’s terse reaction in the television interview to Porter championing herself in Congress as a fearless and aggressive inquisitor of CEOs and government leaders.

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Our political lore tends to draw false dichotomies between partisan eras.

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Playing Joel, a gay, devoutly Christian man in a small town, Hiller fearlessly leaned into dichotomy and sincerity, which is very difficult to do.

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Related Words

• difference of opinion www.thesaurus.com