ontology
/ɒnˈtɒl.ə.dʒi/ IELTSAcademic
noun
The branch of philosophy that studies what exists and how things are grouped into kinds of being. In computing, it also means a formal way to describe concepts and their relationships.
- She studied ontology in her philosophy class.
- The database uses an ontology for its terms.
- They discussed the ontology of human identity.
Adinary Nuance
Ontology is broader and more technical than a simple list of categories. It is not the same as taxonomy, which mainly classifies things, or metaphysics, which studies reality more widely. In computing, ontology is a formal model of concepts and links, not just a glossary.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bản thể luận
- Spanish
- ontología
- Chinese
- 本体论
- Japanese
- 存在論
- Korean
- 존재론
Etymology
Ontology comes from Greek ontos, meaning “being,” and -logia, meaning “study of.” It entered English through philosophy in the 17th century.
Common phrases
social ontologydigital ontologyformal ontologyontology of mind
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is ontology the same as taxonomy?
- No. Taxonomy groups things into classes. Ontology explains what kinds of things exist and how they relate.
- Is ontology used in computer science?
- Yes. In computer science, it means a structured model of concepts and relationships.
- Is ontology a common everyday word?
- No. It is mainly used in philosophy, academic writing, and technical fields.
- How do I use ontology in a sentence?
- You can say, “The paper explores the ontology of language.”