heterogeneous

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

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR heterogeneous ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

different in kind; unlike; incongruous.

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.

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

Origin of heterogeneous

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

Related formshet·er·o·ge·ne·ous·ly, adverbhet·er·o·ge·ne·ous·ness, noun

Can be confusedheterogeneous heterogenous homogeneous homogenous

Synonyms for heterogeneous

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR heterogeneous ON THESAURUS.COM

2. varied, diverse.

Antonyms for heterogeneous

2. homogeneous.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for heterogeneous

amalgamate, composite, confused, conglomerate, contrary, different, discordant, discrepant, disparate, dissimilar, divergent, diverse, incongruous, independent, inharmonious, jumbled, mixed, mongrel, mosaic, motley

Examples from the Web for heterogeneous

Contemporary Examples of heterogeneous

I missed the general accepting feeling that comes from such a heterogeneous mixture of people.
How to Write a Winning Ivy League Essay
Kathleen Kingsbury
October 25, 2009

Historical Examples of heterogeneous

Once, among the heterogeneous crowd of inmates there appeared a dancing-master.
Little Dorrit
Charles Dickens
The crockery was heterogeneous, and was slumped under colour-headings.
The Harmsworth Magazine, v. 1, 1898-1899, No. 2
Various
The truth was, that his language and habits were as heterogeneous as his external appearance.
Waverley
Sir Walter Scott
In a corner was a heterogeneous mass of soggy, dirty garments.
The Mutiny of the Elsinore
Jack London
Viscount Melbourne was called in with a heterogeneous Cabinet.
A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year
Edwin Emerson

British Dictionary definitions for heterogeneous

heterogeneous

adjective

composed of unrelated or differing parts or elements

not of the same kind or type

chem of, composed of, or concerned with two or more different phasesCompare homogeneous

Derived Formsheterogeneity (ˌhɛtərəʊdʒɪˈniːɪtɪ) or heterogeneousness, nounheterogeneously, adverb

Word Origin for heterogeneous

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

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

Word Origin and History for heterogeneous

adj.

1620s, from Medieval Latin heterogeneus, from Greek heterogenes, from heteros "different" (see hetero-) + genos "kind, gender, race stock" (see genus). Earlier in same sense was heterogeneal (c.1600).

heterogeneous in Medicine

heterogeneous

[hĕt′ər-ə-jē′nē-əs, -jēn′yəs]

adj.

Composed of parts having dissimilar characteristics or properties.