Linnsean System
Preserved but no longer current.
The artificial classification adopted by the great Swedish naturalist Linnaeus (1707-78), who arranged his three kingdoms of animals, vegetables, and minerals into classes, orders, genera, species, and varieties, according to certain charac- teristics.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Linnsean System” mean?
The artificial classification adopted by the great Swedish naturalist Linnaeus (1707-78), who arranged his three kingdoms of animals, vegetables, and minerals into classes, orders, genera, species, and varieties, according to certain charac- teristics.
Is “Linnsean System” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.