"science of classification," 1819, from French taxonomie (1813), coined irregularly from Greek taxis "arrangement" (see tactics) + -nomia "method" (see -nomy). Related: Taxonomic; taxonomist.
Entries linking to taxonomy
tactics n.
1620s, "science of arranging military forces for combat," from Modern Latin tactica (17c.), from Greek taktike techne "art of arrangement," noun use of fem. of taktikos "of or pertaining to arrangement," especially "tactics in war," adjective to taxis "arrangement, an arranging, the order or disposition of an army, battle array; order, regularity," verbal noun of tassein "arrange," from PIE root *tag- "to touch, handle."
-nomy
word-forming element, principally in the science, forming names of disciplines describing natural laws or scientific methods; from Greek -nomia "method," -nomos "managing," nomos "law, usage, custom," all from the verb nemein "to manage," from PIE root *nem- "assign, allot; take."