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Taxonomy vs Waif - What's the difference?

taxonomy | waif |

As nouns the difference between taxonomy and waif

is that taxonomy is the science or the technique used to make a classification while waif is (obsolete) goods found of which the owner is not known; originally, such goods as a pursued thief threw away to prevent being apprehended, which belonged to the king unless the owner made pursuit of the felon, took him, and brought him to justice.

taxonomy

Noun

(taxonomies)
  • The science or the technique used to make a classification.
  • A classification; especially , a classification in a hierarchical system.
  • (taxonomy, uncountable) The science of finding, describing, classifying and naming organisms.
  • Synonyms

    * alpha taxonomy

    Derived terms

    * folk taxonomy * scientific taxonomy

    See also

    * classification * rank * taxon * domain * kingdom * subkingdom * superphylum * phylum * subphylum * class * subclass * infraclass * superorder * order * suborder * infraorder * parvorder * superfamily * family * subfamily * genus * species * subspecies * superregnum * regnum * subregnum * superphylum * phylum * subphylum * classis * subclassis * infraclassis * superordo * ordo * subordo * infraordo * taxon * superfamilia * familia * subfamilia * ontology

    waif

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Goods found of which the owner is not known; originally, such goods as a pursued thief threw away to prevent being apprehended, which belonged to the king unless the owner made pursuit of the felon, took him, and brought him to justice.
  • (obsolete) Hence, anything found, or without an owner; that which comes along, as it were, by chance.
  • A wanderer; a castaway; a stray; a homeless child.
  • * 1912 : (Edgar Rice Burroughs), (Tarzan of the Apes), Chapter 5
  • Tenderly Kala nursed her little waif , wondering silently why it did not gain strength and agility as did the little apes of other mothers. It was nearly a year from the time the little fellow came into her possession before he would walk alone, and as for climbing--my, but how stupid he was!
  • A plant that has been introduced but is not persistently naturalized.
  • See also

    * waft