dichotomy
a division into two sharply different parts
Roots
Other words with the tom root
- atom: the smallest unit of a chemical element
Dichotomy is a two-cut: one field of thought split into two sides.
The essay rejected the false dichotomy between ambition and kindness.
Dichotomy is strongest when you see the cut. The word divides a whole into two parts: public/private, mind/body, freedom/order. Sometimes the split is useful; sometimes it is too neat and becomes a false dichotomy.