dichotomy

American  

[dahy-kot-uh-mee] / daɪˈkɒt ə mi /

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 British  

/ 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
• dichotomous
  adjective
• dichotomously
  adverb
• subdichotomy
  noun

Etymology

Origin of dichotomy

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”; see origin at dicho-, -tomy

Explanation

A dichotomy is an idea or classification split in two. When you point out a dichotomy, you draw a clear distinction between two things. A dichotomy is a contrast between two things. When there are two ideas, especially two opposed ideas — like war and peace, or love and hate — you have a dichotomy. You often hear about a "false dichotomy," which occurs when a situation is unfairly represented as an "either/or" scenario. For example, the statement "All cars are either small and efficient or large and polluting" creates a false dichotomy because there are some cars that don't fit into either category.

Example Sentences

“I don’t experience life in terms of the dichotomy of comedy and tragedy,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

That dichotomy, his outer success and inner turmoil, are the heart of “Jerry West: The Logo,” a new documentary for Prime Video, from “black-ish” creator Kenya Barris, directing his first documentary.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

On top of that, all Fed officials are puzzled by the dichotomy between the weak job market and strong consumer spending.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 22, 2025

This stark dichotomy puts Amina, stunningly sung and acted by Nadine Sierra, into high relief on stage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

Another supposed dichotomy that becomes blurred in reality is a distinction between food producers as active managers of their land and hunter-gatherers as mere collectors of the land’s wild produce.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• difference of opinion