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Glite Dictionary
taxonomic category

taxonomic category

6.8
A rank in the classification of living things like species or family that shows how they are related
  • noun
  • /ˌtæksəˈnɑːmɪk ˈkætəɡɔri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : categoría taxonómica
  • Item-specific information includes details that are specific to a given item, such as colors and shapes (in which pictures are rich). Relational information includes category information, such as the functional or taxonomic category to which a given group of stimulus items belongs.

Examples

  • The definition of species within the ESA is not based on the taxonomic categories used in the field of biology.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Children in the WOW condition outperformed children in the control group on measures of word knowledge, including words in the same taxonomic category that were not directly taught.

    Academic text (2015)

  • The traditional taxonomic categories of Acanthopterygii and Percomorpha may need to be changed as a result of current phylogeny.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Participants were assigned to collaborative or nominal groups and then studied a list comprising high-frequency instances of taxonomic categories.

    Academic text (1997)

  • The scientist explained how species fit into their respective taxonomic categories that help classify organisms.

  • Lions and tigers belong to the same taxonomic category known as the genus Panthera.

  • Understanding the taxonomic category of an organism can provide insight into its evolutionary history.

Synonyms

taxon
vstaxonomic category
  • Specialized
1 9.1

A group of living things that scientists put together, like a species or family

is a specific hierarchical level indicating an organism's position
taxonomic group
vstaxonomic category
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A set of living things that are put together because they are related, for example lions and tigers

is a named hierarchical level rather than a general grouped set
biological group
vstaxonomic category
  • Specialized
3.4

A group of plants or animals put together because they share traits

is the formal hierarchical rank in scientific classification rather than a group

How Specific

species
  • Specialized
905 2.7
genus
  • Specialized
13 7.1
family
  • Specialized
155 4.0
taxonomic category
  • Specialized
6.8
class
∞ 1.8
phylum
  • Specialized
4 8.7
kingdom
  • Specialized
53 4.8

Surface Forms

taxonomic category singular
taxonomic categories plural

Morphology

taxonomic + category

The meaning 'a rank or level in biological classification' is directly derivable from combining 'taxonomic' (pertaining to classification of organisms) with 'category' (a group or class). This adjective+noun composition is compositional and follows a common cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Taxonomic category comes from Greek words: taxonomic from a word that means 'arrange' and category from a word that means 'group'. So the phrase means a 'level' or 'group' used to arrange living things by how they are related.