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

See Examples For:

homogenous

We found a population split down the middle: 53% prefer a diverse community, 47% said they preferred a more homogenous one.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

"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

Increased mobility after World War II, along with the rise of television and the advent of the suburbs, pushed Americans toward a more homogenous way of speaking.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

“We think that is dangerous thinking, because it treats all geopolitical events as a homogenous group. But each geopolitical event has its own idiosyncrasies,” Rizzuto said.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 19, 2026

Also, he was Jewish, and although Lawrence was not an anti-Semite, he could be oversensitive to ethnic distinctions, possibly because of his upbringing in an ethnically homogenous rural community.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik