homo

¹ American  

[hoh-moh] / ˈhoʊ moʊ /

noun

Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive.

plural

homos

1. a contemptuous term used to refer to a gay person, especially a gay man.

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Homo ² American  

[hoh-moh] / ˈhoʊ moʊ /

noun

1. the genus of bipedal primates that includes modern humans and several extinct forms, distinguished by their large brains and a dependence upon tools.

2. Facetious. (used in made-up taxonomic expressions to denote a type of human being).

   The door opens, and in walks Homo stupidus.

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homo- ³ American  

1. a combining form appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “same” (homology ); on this model, used in the formation of compound words (homomorphic ).

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homo- ¹ British  

combining form

1. being the same or like Compare hetero-

   homologous

   homosexual

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homo ² British  

/ ˈhəʊməʊ /

noun

1. informal homogenized milk

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Homo ³ British  

/ ˈhəʊməʊ /

noun

1. a genus of hominids including modern man (see Homo sapiens ) and several extinct species of primitive man, including Homo habilis and Homo erectus

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homo ⁴ British  

/ ˈhəʊməʊ /

noun

1. informal short for homosexual

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homo– Scientific  

1. A prefix meaning “same,” as in homogamous, having the same kind of flower.

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Homo Cultural  

1. The genus to which human beings belong. The genus Homo includes Neanderthals and other hominids closely related to today's humans, such as Homo erectus.

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Etymology

Origin of homo¹

First recorded in 1920–25; by shortening of homosexual ( def. )

Origin of Homo²

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin homō “man, human,” literally “the earthly one,” derivative of humus “earth, ground, soil”; related to Latin hūmānus “pertaining to man, human”; akin to Old English guma, Old Irish duine, Welsh dyn, Old Lithuanian žmuõ “human being”; humus, human

Origin of homo-³

< Greek, combining form of homós one and the same; akin to Sanskrit sama-; same