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homologous
[ huh-mol-uh-guhs, hoh- ]
adjective
- having the same or a similar relation; corresponding, as in relative position or structure.
- corresponding in structure and in origin, but not necessarily in function:
The wing of a bird and the foreleg of a horse are homologous.
- having the same alleles or genes in the same order of arrangement:
homologous chromosomes.
- Chemistry. of the same chemical type, but differing by a fixed increment of an atom or a constant group of atoms:
Methyl and ethyl alcohols are homologous.
- Immunology. pertaining to an antigen and its specific antibody.
homologous
/ həʊˈmɒləɡəs; ˌhɒm-; hɒ-; ˌhəʊməˈlɒdʒɪkəl /
adjective
- having a related or similar position, structure, etc
- chem (of a series of organic compounds) having similar characteristics and structure but differing by a number of CH 2 groups
- med
- (of two or more tissues) identical in structure
- (of a vaccine) prepared from the infecting microorganism
- See analogousbiology (of organs and parts) having the same evolutionary origin but different functions Compare analogous
the wing of a bat and the paddle of a whale are homologous
- maths (of elements) playing a similar role in distinct figures or functions
homologous
/ hə-mŏl′ə-gəs /
- Similar in structure and evolutionary origin but having different functions, as a human's arm and a seal's flipper.
- Being one of a pair of chromosomes, one from the female parent and one from the male parent, that have genes for the same traits in the same positions. Genes on homologous chromosomes may not have the same form, however. For example, one chromosome in a pair of homologous chromosomes may contain a gene for brown eyes, and the other a gene for blue eyes. Human females have 23 pairs of homologous chromosomes (including the two X chromosomes), while human males have 22 because the Y chromosome is not paired.
- Belonging to or being a series of organic compounds, each successive member of which differs from the preceding member by a constant increment, especially by an added CH 2 group. The alkanes (methane, ethane, propane, and others) are a homologous series of compounds.
- Involving organisms of the same species, as in grafted body tissues.
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Derived Forms
- ˌhomoˈlogically, adverb
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Other Words From
- nonho·molo·gous adjective
- unho·molo·gous adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of homologous1
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Example Sentences
There are studies showing that human genes can substitute for homologous yeast genes, so there could be many pathways to success.
First, correlation of growth: Homologous organs tend to vary in the same direction, and together.
Homologous reactions are arbitrarily valued as 100 per cent, and heterologous reactions are expressed accordingly.
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More About Homologous
What does homologous mean?
Homologous is used to describe multiple things that are the same or similar, especially in structure or origin.
In science, homologous is most often used in the phrase homologous structures, which refers to body parts of animals that have a similar structure or origin, as in The arms of humans and the limbs of cats are homologous structures—the layout of the bones is very similar.
Homologous structures may have different functions. For example, a human arm and a bat’s wing are considered homologous structures because they have the same bone structure, even though they obviously have different functions.
In biology, the presence of similarities like this is known as homology.
Homologous structures are the opposite of analogous structures, which refers to body parts that serve similar functions but have different structures or origins. For example, both birds and wasps have wings, but their wings have different appearances and consist of different parts and evolved from different origins.
Example: A horse’s leg and a whale’s flipper are homologous structures that evolved from the same origin.
Where does homologous come from?
The first records of homologous come from the 1650s. It ultimately comes from the Greek homólogos, which means “agreeing.” Homólogos is made from homo-, meaning “same,” and -logos (here meaning “proportional”).
Homologous structures are studied in the scientific fields of biology and anatomy. They are one of the many pieces of evidence that supports the theory of evolution. Homologous structures suggest that many animals evolved from a common ancestor and their similar skeletons and body parts evolved over time to adapt to their specific habitats.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to homologous?
- nonhomologous (adjective)
- unhomologous (adjective)
What are some synonyms for homologous?
What are some words that share a root or word element with homologous?
What are some words that often get used in discussing homologous?
What are some words homologous may be commonly confused with?
How is homologous used in real life?
Homologous is a scientific term. It’s especially used in anthropology and biology.
Teaching about homologous structures in T.rex and humans tonight. Hope students and teachers don't go home thinking they are dinosaurs! rawr
— Laura Tacho 🌮 (@rhein_wein) October 26, 2010
According to the homologous structures of our limbs…. We are pretty much cats #meow
— Hannah Creasey (@hannie_c) January 22, 2014
My bio professor is discussing homologous structures in mammals and he says "On the other hand; no pun intended." 😝
— Mac Karant (@Macman2655) August 26, 2013
Try using homologous!
Is homologous used correctly in the following sentence?
The arms of starfish and the arms of humans are homologous structures that have completely different parts and origins.
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