Word meaning
dichotomy
noun · dy-KOT-uh-mee
What does dichotomy mean?
Dichotomy means a division or contrast between two things that are opposed or entirely different.
Dichotomy in a sentence
“The novel explores the dichotomy between city and country life.”
Synonyms for dichotomy
- division
- split
- contrast
Where does dichotomy come from?
From Greek dikha, "in two," and -tomia, "cutting."
How to remember dichotomy
- Say it out loud a few times: dy-KOT-uh-mee.
- Write one sentence of your own using dichotomy, about something that happened to you today.
- Quiz yourself tomorrow, in three days, and next week. Spaced reviews are what make new words stick.
More words worth knowing
- mercurial — subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood.
- taciturn — reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.
- solitude — the state of being alone, especially when this is peaceful.
- auspicious — suggesting a good chance of success; favorable.
- tacit — understood or implied without being stated.
- banal — so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring.