heterogeneous

[ het-er-uh-jee-nee-uhs, -jeen-yuhs ]

adjective

1. different in kind; unlike; incongruous.
2. composed of parts of different kinds; having widely dissimilar elements or constituents:

   The party was attended by a heterogeneous group of artists, politicians, and social climbers.

   Synonyms: diverse, varied

   Antonyms: homogeneous

3. Chemistry. (of a mixture) composed of different substances or the same substance in different phases, as solid ice and liquid water.

heterogeneous

/ ˌhɛtərəʊˈdʒiːnɪəs; ˌhɛtərəʊdʒɪˈniːɪtɪ /

adjective

1. composed of unrelated or differing parts or elements
2. not of the same kind or type
3. See homogeneous
   chem of, composed of, or concerned with two or more different phases Compare homogeneous

Derived Forms

• heterogeneity, noun
• ˌheteroˈgeneously, adverb

Other Words From

• heter·o·gene·ous·ly adverb
• heter·o·gene·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterogeneous¹

1615–25; < Medieval Latin heterogeneus < Greek heterogenḗs. See hetero-, gene, -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterogeneous¹

C17: from Medieval Latin heterogeneus, from Greek heterogenēs, from hetero- + genos sort

Example Sentences

The “Nueve” was representative of the quite heterogeneous forces that retook the city.

From The Daily Beast

By contrast, brain states are far more heterogeneous, likely due to interactions between a person and his or her environment.

From The Daily Beast

Sunni families in historically heterogeneous areas picked up and fled, eager to avoid a power drill to the forehead.

From The Daily Beast

Which they would, because the Democratic caucus is already heterogeneous enough to be amenable to compromise.

From The Daily Beast

I missed the general accepting feeling that comes from such a heterogeneous mixture of people.

From The Daily Beast

The party at Walls End Castle, though its elements were decidedly heterogeneous, was a success.

From Project Gutenberg

But, just examine this heterogeneous pile of 'cigar-lights,' which rears its audacious head upon the table.

From Project Gutenberg

What obscured the history was the manner in which masses of heterogeneous facts were heaped together.

From Project Gutenberg

Other varieties of heterogeneous colloidal mixtures are tabulated by Wo.

From Project Gutenberg

The ponderous weight of the empire ground out racial and caste distinctions and welded together all the heterogeneous mass.

From Project Gutenberg