taxonomys

Taxonomys is commonly spelled taxonomies, and the standard singular form is taxonomy. In its broad sense, taxonomy is the science of classification, describing how items are grouped into ordered categories. In biology, taxonomy is the discipline that names, describes, and classifies organisms, organizing them into a hierarchical system. The traditional ranks include domain, kingdom, phylum (or division in plants), class, order, family, genus, and species. Binomial nomenclature assigns each species a two-part Latin name, such as Homo sapiens, and is governed by codes of nomenclature to promote stability and universality. Modern taxonomy integrates morphology, genetics, and phylogenetics, with systematics focusing on evolutionary relationships and revising classifications as new data become available.

Taxonomies extend beyond biology. In information science and library science, taxonomy refers to structured vocabularies that categorize data, documents, or products to support search, retrieval, and interoperability. Developing a taxonomy typically involves identifying key concepts, organizing them into a hierarchical tree, standardizing terms, and maintaining the structure over time as knowledge and needs evolve. Taxonomies may coexist with related concepts such as thesauri and ontologies; while they share similarities, ontologies typically model richer relationships among concepts.

Taxonomy work depends on community consensus and ongoing revision. In biology, debates about species concepts and phylogenetic methods can lead to changes in classifications. In information contexts, updates respond to new data, user needs, and organizational policies. Overall, taxonomy provides a framework for naming, organizing, and communicating about diverse phenomena across disciplines.