dichotomous key

noun

A written tool for identification of plants and animals. It is written as a sequence of paired questions, the choice of which determines the next pair of questions until a name or identification is reached.

Similar
identification key
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noundichotomous key (plural dichotomous keys)

plural dichotomous keys

  1. biologyA written tool for identification of plants and animals. It is written as a sequence of paired questions, the choice of which determines the next pair of questions until a name or identification is reached.

    Synonyms: identification key

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA written tool for identification of plants and animals. It is written as a sequence of paired questions, the choice of which determines the next pair of questions until a name or identification is reached.

Similar
identification key
Also see
identification key
Cite this entry
APA

dichotomous key. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dichotomous%20key

MLA

“dichotomous key.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dichotomous%20key. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dichotomous key,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dichotomous%20key.

Source: dichotomous key on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.