English
dichotomous
Dichotomous comes from Late Latin dichotomos ‘dichotomous, bipartite’, from Ancient Greek διχότομος ‘cut in half’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *temh₁-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*temh₁-‘to cut’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tm̥-né-h₁-tireconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτέμνω‘I cut’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδιχότομοςdikhótomos‘cut in half’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEdichotomos‘dichotomous, bipartite’
- Englishearliest quotation 1992dichotomous
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*temh₁-‘to cut’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tm̥-né-h₁-tireconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτέμνω‘I cut’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδιχότομοςdikhótomos‘cut in half’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEdichotomos‘dichotomous, bipartite’
- Englishearliest quotation 1992dichotomous
Earliest quotation: 1992, Marie L. Hicks, Guide to the Liverworts of North Carolina: “Genus Riccia L. Plants are thalloid, forming rosettes or…”
Equivalent to dichotomy + -ous
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- ‘to cut’
contempt, templar, tempestuous, 35 more
through Ancient Greek τέμνω ‘I cut’
Today it means
adj Dividing or branching into two mutually exclusive pieces.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- / dichotomous