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• hetero
  hetero

  adjective

  of or relating to an atom other than carbon, particularly in a cyclic compound.
• hetero-
  hetero-

  a combining form meaning “different,” “other,” used in the formation of compound words.
• hetero–
  hetero–

  A prefix that means “different” or “other,” as in heterophyllous, having different kinds of leaves.

hetero

¹ American  

[het-uh-roh] / ˈhɛt əˌroʊ /

adjective

1. Chemistry. of or relating to an atom other than carbon, particularly in a cyclic compound.

2. Informal. heterosexual.

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noun

• heteros
  plural

1. Informal. a heterosexual person.

hetero- ² American  

especially before a vowel, heter-.

1. a combining form meaning “different,” “other,” used in the formation of compound words.

   heterocyclic.

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hetero ¹ British  

/ ˈhɛtərəʊ /

noun

1. short for heterosexual

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hetero- ² British  

combining form

1. other, another, or different Compare homo-

   heterodyne

   heterophony

   heterosexual

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hetero– Scientific  

1. A prefix that means “different” or “other,” as in heterophyllous, having different kinds of leaves.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• heteros
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hetero¹

First recorded in 1930–35 hetero for def. 2; hetero def. 1 by shortening of heteroatom; hetero defs. 2, 3 by shortening of heterosexual; see -o

Origin of hetero-²

Combining form of Greek héteros the other of two, other, different

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hetero hetero- heteros

These days there’s no keeping Hollywood’s gay icons and hetero heartthrobs apart.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

The world of Navy SEALs is a very hetero male world.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2022

The first is a journey through queer adulthood, when queer folks don’t get validated in a lot of these profound ways that are there for hetero and cis folks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2022

There’s something radical about placing the hetero cis male in the lived experience of a teenage girl.”

From New York Times ● Jul. 4, 2022

I really feel for this kid and the tough road he may have ahead of him if he likes anyone who isn’t a hetero girl.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

I had not known – had never considered – whether he was hetero- or homosexual, single or in a relationship.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 26, 2017

Whose sexuality isn't scary and muddled, hetero- or homo- or in between, as a teen or at middle age?

From Time Magazine Archive

Some of these hetero- styled plants are completely sterile with pollen taken from the same plant or from the same form.

From The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication — Volume 2 by Charles Darwin

By midnight, Homoelectric, an evening of gently dislocated chaos for several generations of “homos, lesbos, heteros, don’t-knows”, is packed and Cowdrey is bouncing in the DJ booth.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 12, 2018

And the perniciousness of this idea that you can’t has been one of the all-time worst things that ever happened to heteros.

From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2012

And the perniciousness of this idea that you can’t has been one of the all time worst things that ever happened to heteros.

From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2012

He called straight people "the heteros," prided himself on his long lineage of male cheerleaders, and never -- in eight seasons -- showed regret.

From Salon ● May 9, 2011