homogenous

American  

[huh-moj-uh-nuhs, hoh-] / həˈmɒdʒ ə nəs, hoʊ- /

adjective

1. Biology. corresponding in structure because of a common origin.

2. homogeneous.

3. homoplastic.

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homogenous British  

/ həˈmɒdʒɪnəs /

adjective

1. another word for homogeneous homogeneous homogeneous homogeneous

2. of, relating to, or exhibiting homogeny

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Usage

What does homogenous mean? Homogenous most generally means consisting of parts or elements that are all the same. Something that is homogenous is uniform in nature or character throughout. Homogenous can also be used to describe multiple things that are all essentially alike or of the same kind. When used generally, homogenous is often associated with things that are considered biased, boring, or bland due to lacking variety or diversity. In the context of chemistry, homogenous is used to describe a mixture that is uniform in structure or composition. The verb homogenize means to make something homogenous. To homogenize milk is to blend it in a way that results in the milk fat being evenly distributed throughout it. The state of being homogenous is homogeneity. The general sense of homogenous can be used interchangeably with the word homogeneous (which is spelled with a second e and is pronounced differently). When used in this general way, homogenous is more commonly used than homogeneous. Homogenous is also used in the context of biology to mean corresponding in structure due to either a common origin or a common environment. The opposite of most senses of homogenous is heterogeneous, which most generally means consisting of different, distinguishable parts or elements. Example: This suburb is so homogenous—even the houses all look the same.

Other Word Forms

• nonhomogenous
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of homogenous

First recorded in 1865–70; homo- + -genous

Explanation

Homogenous describes things that are all of the similar kind. If you have a homogenous group of friends, you probably wear the same outfits, talk the same way, live in the same kind of neighborhood, and like the same music. Boring. Homogenous comes from the Greek for "same kind." It used to only mean people who had the same ancestors, but in English we use it for anything that is characterized by sameness. You might live in a homogenous neighborhood, where everyone makes the same amount of money and drives the same kind of car. The opposite of homogenous is heterogenous, which means "many kinds."

Example Sentences

"The Japanese population isn't as genetically homogenous as everyone thinks," said Chikashi Terao, who led the study at RIKEN.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

A nation demographically dominated by the descendants of immigrants from every corner of the world is one of the most linguistically homogenous on earth.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026

She said the process involved cooking and modifying natural ingredients before combining them with the tree waste "to create a homogenous wet material".

From BBC • Jan. 6, 2026

Instead of unearthing under-the-radar opportunities, the chatbots opted for a rather homogenous selection of AI infrastructure and hyperscaler names that currently define the AI trade.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 27, 2025

Bobby’s recollection of a homogenous cast of “old men” was probably skewed by his child’s perspective at the time.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady