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taxon

[ tak-son ]

noun

, plural tax·a [tak, -s, uh].
  1. a taxonomic category, as a species or genus.


taxon

/ ˈtæksɒn /

noun

  1. biology any taxonomic group or rank
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


taxon

/ tăksŏn′ /

, Plural taxa

  1. A taxonomic category or group, such as a phylum, order, family, genus, or species.


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Word History and Origins

Origin of taxon1

First recorded in 1945–50; from Greek táx(is) “arranged, put in order” + -on neuter noun ending; taxis 1, -on 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of taxon1

C20: back formation from taxonomy
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Example Sentences

The genus Vulpes, which includes foxes, makes up another taxon.

The names also categorize organisms into groups, known as taxa.

However, there aren’t rules for deciding what rank a group of species — or taxon — falls into.

In fact, a third scientist might even think the taxon should belong to a different rank, such as an order.

The nested nature of these taxa provides scientists with helpful information.

Taxol′ogy, the science of classification; Taxon′omer, a taxonomist.

Other entries are first usages, in chronological order, of other names (synonyms) that have been applied to the taxon in question.

The second entry is the name-combination herein applied to the taxon.

Because there is considerable variation correlated with sex and size, each taxon occurs in the key in more than one couplet.

The last specialization is seen in at least one taxon of Orthogeomys (Orthogeomys cherriei costaricensis).

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Taxoltaxonomy