What does dichotomy mean?
Word: Dichotomy
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Dichotomy means a clear division or contrast between two things that are seen as opposites.
Synonyms: contrast, division
Word origin: Came into English from Greek in the late 1500s.
How do you spell dichotomy?
Syllables: di - chot - o - my
Tricky part: The ch here makes a k sound, so students write dicotomy or dikotomy.
Watch out for: dicotomy, dikotomy
Memory tip: A school debate has two sides, and school uses the same ch for the k sound as this word.
Dichotomy in a sentence
Example 1: The essay questions the old dichotomy between science and the arts.
Example 2: Some people see a dichotomy between hard work and fun, but a good coach can bring the two together.
Example 3: Riya's speech challenged the dichotomy between mind and body.
Fun Fact
Biologists use a dichotomous key to identify a plant or animal by answering a chain of two-way questions.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Champ
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
dichot___
a) emy
b) imy
c) amy
d) omy
Show answer
d) omy. Anatomy and economy close the same way.
Spell Probe
One word in the sentence is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word:
The panel exposed a sharp dychotomy between speed and accuracy, and the moderator summed it up neatly at the end.
a) a person who guides a public discussion
b) the quality of being exact and correct
c) a split that sets two ideas on opposite sides
d) a group of people who discuss a topic
Show answer
c) a split that sets two ideas on opposite sides. The opening letters of the misspelt word need an i; it is the word for a split.
Sound Check
In which word is 'ch' pronounced differently?
a) orchestra
b) chauffeur
c) chemistry
d) dichotomy
Show answer
b) chauffeur. Chauffeur has a sh sound from French; the others have a k sound.
Spell Spies
Choose the pair which has a spelling error:
a) crisis : crisises
b) analysis : analyses
c) criterion : criteria
d) dichotomy : dichotomies
Show answer
a) crisis : crisises. The plural of crisis is crises.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A writer speaks of the dichotomy between town and country. What is the writer doing?
a) showing how to travel between them
b) saying the two are exactly alike
c) treating the two as very different worlds
d) listing the towns in the country
Show answer
c) treating the two as very different worlds
2. Which pair would a writer most naturally call a dichotomy?
a) cup and saucer
b) salt and pepper
c) bread and butter
d) theory and practice
Show answer
d) theory and practice
