homogeneous

[ hoh-muh-jee-nee-uhs, -jeen-yuhs, hom-uh- ]
See synonyms for homogeneous on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. composed of parts or elements that are all of the same kind; not heterogeneous: a homogeneous population.

  2. of the same kind or nature; essentially alike.

  1. Mathematics.

    • having a common property throughout: a homogeneous solid figure.

    • having all terms of the same degree: a homogeneous equation.

    • relating to a function of several variables that becomes multiplied by some power of a constant when each variable is multiplied by that constant: x2y3is a homogeneous expression of degree 5.

    • relating to a differential equation in which a linear combination of derivatives is set equal to zero.

Origin of homogeneous

1
First recorded in 1635–45; from Medieval Latin homogeneus, from homogene-, stem of Greek homogenḗs “of the same kind” (see homo-, gene) + -us -ous

Other words for homogeneous

Other words from homogeneous

  • ho·mo·ge·ne·ous·ly, adverb
  • non·ho·mo·ge·ne·ous, adjective
  • non·ho·mo·ge·ne·ous·ly, adverb
  • non·ho·mo·ge·ne·ous·ness, noun
  • un·ho·mo·ge·ne·ous, adjective
  • un·ho·mo·ge·ne·ous·ly, adverb
  • un·ho·mo·ge·ne·ous·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with homogeneous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for homogeneous

homogeneous

/ (ˌhəʊməˈdʒiːnɪəs, ˌhɒm-) /


adjective
  1. composed of similar or identical parts or elements

  2. of uniform nature

  1. similar in kind or nature

  2. having a constant property, such as density, throughout

  3. maths

    • (of a polynomial) containing terms of the same degree with respect to all the variables, as in x ² + 2 xy + y ²

    • (of a function) containing a set of variables such that when each is multiplied by a constant, this constant can be eliminated without altering the value of the function, as in cos x / y + x / y

    • (of an equation) containing a homogeneous function made equal to 0

  4. chem of, composed of, or concerned with a single phase: Compare heterogeneous

  • Also (for senses 1–4): homogenous

Derived forms of homogeneous

  • homogeneity (ˌhəʊməʊdʒɪˈniːɪtɪ, ˌhɒm-), noun
  • homogeneously, adverb
  • homogeneousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012