What does "dichotomize" mean?

To separate into two parts, to classify into two classes, or to categorize into two categories.

What is a synonym for "dichotomize"?

Common synonyms include: amputate, ax, binarize, bisect, branch, butcher.

Pronounced //dʌɪˈkɒtəmʌɪz//.

//dʌɪˈkɒtəmʌɪz// verb

verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Verb

1
To separate into two parts, to classify into two classes, or to categorize into two categories. transitive
"The apostolical benediction dichotomizes all good things into grace and peace."
2
divide into two opposing groups or kinds wordnet
3
To be divided into two. intransitive
4
To exhibit as a half disk.
"If the moon was a perfectly smooth sphere […] the place when she was dichotomized, […] would depend upon the sun's distance from the earth."

"The apostolical benediction dichotomizes all good things into grace and peace."

From Ancient Greek διχότομος (dikhótomos) + -ize.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.