Meaning & use
Phenetic
Last updated
Relating to the classification of organisms based on their overall observable similarities, without regard to evolutionary relationships.
See it in a sentence
Early taxonomists relied on phenetic methods, grouping species by shared physical traits alone.
Modern classification favors evolutionary relationships over purely phenetic comparisons.
A note on using this word
"Phenetic" classification, also called numerical taxonomy, contrasts with "phylogenetic" classification, which groups organisms according to evolutionary ancestry rather than surface resemblance.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
phylogenetic
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Phenetic”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.