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Taxon Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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taxon

[ˈtæksɒn ]

Definition

Context #1 | Noun

biology

A taxonomic group of any rank, such as a species, family, or class.

Synonyms

category, classification, group.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
taxon

Used primarily in biological or scientific contexts to refer to a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit.

  • The genus Homo is a well-known taxon in anthropology.
  • Birds are classified as a taxon within the animal kingdom.
category

Used in general contexts to represent a class or division of people or things regarded as having particular shared characteristics.

  • Books in the library are sorted into different categories based on their genre.
  • Under which category does this expense fall?
group

Can be used in both scientific and everyday contexts to mean a number of people or things that are located, gathered, or classed together.

  • A group of friends met at the café.
  • In chemistry, elements are arranged into groups on the periodic table.
classification

Often used in systematic contexts where items, such as organisms, are arranged or sorted into classes or groups based on specific criteria.

  • The classification of plants includes several ranks such as family, genus, and species.
  • The new classification system makes it easier to find related documents.

Examples of usage

  • This new species belongs to the same taxon as the previously known one.
  • The taxon of mammals includes a wide variety of animals, from mice to elephants.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'taxon'

The word 'taxon' is derived from the Greek word 'taxis', meaning arrangement or order. It was first introduced in 1926 by the German biologist Adolf Meyer-Abich. Taxonomy, the science of classification, uses taxonomic ranks to organize and categorize living organisms.

See also: overtax, tax, taxi, taxing, taxpayer, untaxed.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #21,161, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.