Where does “dichotomous” come from?
Dichotomous comes from Latin dichotomos, from Ancient Greek διχότομος, combining δίς (twice) and τέμνω (to cut), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁ (two).
dichotomous (English): Dividing or branching into two pieces
Definitions
- Dividing or branching into two pieces
Ancestry of “dichotomous”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | dichotomos | dichotomous, bipartite |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | διχότομος | cut in half, equally divided |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | τέμνω | I cut, hew; I maim, wound; I butcher, sacrifice |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | -né- | Forms mostly transitive imperfective verbs from... |