Meaning of the word cladistics in English

What does cladistics mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

cladistics

US /kləˈdɪstɪks/
UK /kləˈdɪstɪks/
"cladistics" picture

Noun

a method of classification of animals and plants according to the proportion of measurable characteristics that they have in common. It is assumed that the higher the proportion of shared characteristics, the more recently two groups of organisms diverged from a common ancestor.

Example:
Modern taxonomy heavily relies on cladistics to establish evolutionary relationships.
Researchers use cladistics to reconstruct the tree of life.