Definition

A naming system where the same word is used twice in a scientific name, like Bison bison.

Example

The scientific name for the American bison is an example of tautonymy.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of the term tautonymy?

No, I haven't. What does it mean?

It's when a species name is the same word repeated, like Bison bison.

That’s interesting! I didn’t know names could be so repetitive.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Tautonymy is formed from "tauto-" (from Greek "tautós", meaning the same) and "-onymy" (from Greek "onuma", meaning name). The term refers to the practice of using the same name for both the genus and species in biological classification.

Memory Tip

Think of 'the same' ('tauto-') being used for 'name' ('-onymy') — that's why tautonymy means using the same name in classification.

Visually Confused Words