false dichotomy

noun — 2 senses

false dichotomy

noun

UK /ˌfɔːls daɪˈkɒtəmi/ · US /ˌfɔls daɪˈkɑtəmi/

Etymology From false + dichotomy.

1

Biology, Botany, Natural sciences A branching in which the main axis appears to divide dichotomously at the apex but is in reality suppressed, the growth being continued by lateral branches (as in the dichasium).

2

Rhetoric A situation in which two alternative points of view are presented as the only options, when others are available.

Related terms
false equivalence, pseudodichotomous

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.