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heterogeneous
[ het-er-uh-jee-nee-uhs, -jeen-yuhs ]
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.
Antonyms: homogeneous
- Chemistry. (of a mixture) composed of different substances or the same substance in different phases, as solid ice and liquid water.
heterogeneous
/ ˌhɛtərəʊdʒɪˈniːɪtɪ; ˌhɛtərəʊˈdʒiːnɪəs /
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 phases Compare homogeneous
Derived Forms
- ˌheteroˈgeneously, adverb
- heterogeneity, noun
Other Words From
- heter·o·gene·ous·ly adverb
- heter·o·gene·ous·ness noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of heterogeneous1
Word History and Origins
Origin of heterogeneous1
Example Sentences
Ultimately, says Ms de Bolle in Washington, the Brics are "a heterogeneous group of countries that have nothing in common, apart from the fact that they are big".
"Aging is an incredibly heterogeneous process that affects everyone differently," says Karlseder.
“I don’t know whether we would see a single far right group as they continue to be, internally, fairly heterogeneous.”
“There is no way to unite this very heterogeneous group of people, without making Islam the common denominator,” said Mahmudabad, the political scientist.
For example, in the age of social media, long ties can facilitate broader reach across different demographics and heterogeneous populations.
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More About Heterogeneous
What does heterogeneous mean?
Heterogeneous most generally means consisting of different, distinguishable parts or elements.
The word 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).
In either sense, the state of being heterogeneous is heterogeneity.
The general sense of heterogeneous is not as commonly used as the general sense of its opposite, homogeneous—which most often means consisting of parts or elements that are all the same. The word homogenous (which is spelled without a second e and is pronounced differently) can be used to mean the same thing.
The word heterogenous is very similar in spelling but not in meaning. It’s used in the context of biology and medicine to refer to something that originated outside of the body or that is derived from another individual or species (such as a skin graft).
Example: The exhibit features a heterogeneous mix of artifacts from different cultures and eras.
Where does heterogeneous come from?
The first record of heterogeneous comes from around 1620. It comes from the Greek heterogenḗs, from hetero–, meaning “different,” and génos, “kind.”
In general, things that are homogeneous are all the same, and things that are heterogeneous consist of a variety of different parts. The same thing goes in chemistry. Homogenous mixtures are uniform in consistency. But the different elements of a heterogeneous mixture, such as ice floating in water, are often easy to distinguish and even sometimes separate.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to heterogeneous?
- heterogeneously (adverb)
- heterogeneousness (noun)
- heterogeneity (noun)
What are some synonyms for heterogeneous?
What are some words that share a root or word element with heterogeneous?
What are some words that often get used in discussing heterogeneous?
What are some words heterogeneous may be commonly confused with?
How is heterogeneous used in real life?
Heterogeneous is used in the context of chemistry, but it’s also commonly used in a general way.
As I was drinking my cookies and cream milkshake, I thought man what a great example of a heterogeneous mixture… I need a vacation.
— Madeline Maynard (@madelineklaire) January 31, 2017
A large, heterogeneous and vibrant ecosystem increases the likelihood that complementary resources are recombined to generate innovations. https://t.co/78EIL29VJO
— INSEAD Knowledge (@INSEADKnowledge) August 28, 2020
.@DARIAHeu has launched a 2020 funding scheme for proposals on "Arts, #Humanities and #COVID19". How will we collect, curate, preserve & interpret the heterogeneous record of the experience of life and work in early 2020? Learn more: https://t.co/nefQN1FIiA
— dhCenter UNIL-EPFL (@dhCenter_) August 28, 2020
Try using heterogeneous!
Which of the following things would NOT be considered a heterogeneous mixture?
A. a bowl of mixed nuts
B. a glass of water
C. a glass of ice water
D. water with sand in it
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