English
dichotomy
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /daɪˈkɒt.ə.mi/
Noun

dichotomy

  1. A separation or division into two; a distinction that results in such a division.
    • 1989, Carole Pateman, 6: Feminist Critiques of the Public/Private Dichotomy, The Disorder of Women: Democracy, Feminism, and Political Theory, page 118 ↗,
      The dichotomy between the private and the public is central to almost two centuries of feminist writing and political struggle; it is, ultimately, what the feminist movement is all about. Although some feminists treat the dichotomy as a universal, trans-historical and trans-cultural feature of human existence, feminist criticism is primarily directed at the separation and opposition between the public and private spheres in liberal theory and practice.
    • 2003, Thérèse Encrenaz et al., Storm Dunlop (translator), The Solar System [Système Solaire], page 232 ↗,
      The dichotomy between maria and highlands dominates lunar mineralogy.
    • 2008, N. Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Economics, 6th Edition, page 723 ↗,
      All of this previous analysis was based on two related ideas: the classical dichotomy and monetary neutrality. Recall that the classical dichotomy is the separation of variables into real variables (those that measure quantities or relative prices) and nominal variables (those measured in terms of money).
  2. Such a division involving apparently incompatible or opposite principles; a duality.
  3. (logic) The division of a class into two disjoint subclasses that are together comprehensive, as the division of man into white and not white.
    • 2011, Tomasz A. Gorarzd, Jacek Krzaczkowski, The Complexity of Problems Connected with Two-Element Algebras, Paweł M. Idziak, Andrzej Wronski, Reports on Mathematical Logic: No. 46, page 92 ↗,
      One can ask if for any algebra the considered problem is always in P or NP-complete (P or coNP-complete)? For example, the problem of the satisfiability of a system of polynomial equations over a group G is in P if G is abelian and NP-complete otherwise ([7, 13]).
      One of the most widely known subclasses of NP which exhibits such a dichotomy, is the class of constraint satisfaction problems (CSP) on the set {0,1}, see [16]. Recently Bulatov proved the dichotomy for CSP on a three-element set [3].
  4. (biology, taxonomy) The division of a genus into two species; a division into two subordinate parts.
  5. (astronomy) A phase of the moon when it appears half lit and half dark, as at the quadratures.
  6. (biology) Division and subdivision; bifurcation, as of a stem of a plant or a vein of the body into two parts as it proceeds from its origin; often successive.
    • 1969, J. F. Rigby, Permian Sphenopsids from Antarctica, Geological Survey Professional Paper 613-F, page F-9 ↗,
      In one forked leaf there is a distinct vein dichotomy, and the leaf boundary commences 1.5 mm above the dichotomy.
    • 2010, V. Singh, P. C. Pande, D. K. Jain, Text Book Of Botany: Diversity Of Microbes And Cryptogams, 4th Edition, page 511 ↗,
      In most of the creeping species with dorsiventral stems (e.g., S. kraussiana, S. laevigata) roots arise at or close to the point of dichotomy; in species like S. rupestris and S. wallichii they arise at the point of dichotomy as well as other positions and in S. selaginoides and S. spinulosa they arise from knot like swellings present at the basal portion of the stem.
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