heterogeneity

American  

[het-uh-roh-juh-nee-i-tee] / ˌhɛt ə roʊ dʒəˈni ɪ ti /

noun

1. the quality or state of being heterogeneous; composition from dissimilar parts; disparateness.

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heterogeneity Cultural  

1. Cultural, social, biological, or other differences within a group. (Compare homogeneity.)

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Usage

What does heterogeneity mean? Heterogeneity is the state or quality of being heterogeneous—consisting of different, distinguishable parts or elements. Heterogeneous is used in a more specific way in the context of chemistry to describe a mixture consisting of two or more different substances or the same substance in different phases of matter (such as ice and liquid water). Heterogeneity can refer to the state of such a mixture. The opposite of heterogeneity is homogeneity, which is the state of being homogeneous—consisting of parts or elements that are all the same. Example: The strength of the exhibit is its heterogeneity—it features a mix of artifacts from different cultures and eras.

Etymology

Origin of heterogeneity

From the Medieval Latin word heterogeneitās, dating back to 1635–45. See heterogeneous, -ity

Explanation

Heterogeneity is a word that signifies diversity. A classroom consisting of people from lots of different backgrounds would be considered having the quality of heterogeneity. The prefix hetero- means "other or different," while the prefix homo- means "the same." Heterogeneity is often used in contrast to homogeneity, which is when two or more people or things are alike. Heterogeneity can also refer to something that is made up of lots of different elements, like a local dialect composed of various languages.

Example Sentences

Ali McBride, 50, has been a patron since he was a teenager, buying books like “James Baldwin: The F.B.I. Files” and “Reciting Ifa: Difference, Heterogeneity and Identity.”

From New York Times • May 22, 2021

Heterogeneity within mitotic progenitors in the ganglionic eminences is driven by a highly conserved maturation trajectory, alongside eminence-specific transcription factor expression that seeds the emergence of later diversity.

From Nature • Mar. 4, 2018

Morita, Y., Ema, H. & Nakauchi, H. Heterogeneity and hierarchy within the most primitive hematopoietic stem cell compartment.

From Nature • Jan. 23, 2018

Heterogeneity in vegetation types, stand structures and successional age classes at all spatial scales and environmental settings is emerging as a strategy for enhancing ecosystem resilience to climate change.

From Nature • Nov. 4, 2014

I speak here of a sensible Change of Colour: For the Light which I here call homogeneal, being not absolutely homogeneal, there ought to arise some little Change of Colour from its Heterogeneity.

From Opticks or, a Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflections, and Colours of Light by Newton, Isaac, Sir