The systematic classification of living things or organisms. Kingdoms of living organisms are divided into groups (taxa) to show degrees of similarity or presumed evolutionary relationships, with the higher categories being larger, more inclusive, and more broadly defined, and the lower categories being more restricted, with fewer species more closely related. The divisions below kingdom are, in descending order : phylum, class, order, family, genus, species, and subspecies (variety). Infra- and supra- or sub- and super- categories can be used when needed; additional categories, such as tribe, section, level, group, etc., are also used. [G. taxis, orderly arrangement, + nomos, law]
- chemical t. an approach to the classification of organisms based on the distribution of natural products.
- numerical t. an approach to the classification of organisms that strives for objectivity, wherein characteristics of organisms are given equal weight (adansonian classification) and the relationships of the organisms are numerically determined, usually by computer.
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1) the study of the general principles of scientific classification: SYSTEMATICS
2) orderly classification of plants and animals according to their presumed natural relationships
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tax·on·o·my (tak-sonґə-me) [L. taxinomia; taxis + Gr. nomos law] the orderly classification of organisms into appropriate categories (taxa) on the basis of relationships among them, with the application of suitable and correct names. taxonomic adjMedical dictionary. 2011.