homogeneous

[ hoh-muh-jee-nee-uhs, -jeen-yuhs, hom-uh- ]

adjective

1. composed of parts or elements that are all of the same kind; not heterogeneous:

   a homogeneous population.

   Synonyms: unvarying, identical, similar, alike, unmixed

2. of the same kind or nature; essentially alike.
3. Mathematics.
   1. having a common property throughout:

      a homogeneous solid figure.

   2. having all terms of the same degree:

      a homogeneous equation.

   3. relating to a function of several variables that becomes multiplied by some power of a constant when each variable is multiplied by that constant: x 2 y 3 is a homogeneous expression of degree 5.
   4. relating to a differential equation in which a linear combination of derivatives is set equal to zero.

homogeneous

/ ˌhɒm-; ˌhəʊməʊdʒɪˈniːɪtɪ; ˌhəʊməˈdʒiːnɪəs; ˌhɒm- /

adjective

1. composed of similar or identical parts or elements
2. of uniform nature
3. similar in kind or nature
4. having a constant property, such as density, throughout
5. maths
   1. (of a polynomial) containing terms of the same degree with respect to all the variables, as in x ² + 2 xy + y ²
   2. (of a function) containing a set of variables such that when each is multiplied by a constant, this constant can be eliminated without altering the value of the function, as in cos x / y + x / y
   3. (of an equation) containing a homogeneous function made equal to 0
6. chem of, composed of, or concerned with a single phase Compare heterogeneous

Derived Forms

• ˌhomoˈgeneousness, noun
• ˌhomoˈgeneously, adverb
• homogeneity, noun

Other Words From

• homo·gene·ous·ly adverb
• nonho·mo·gene·ous adjective
• nonho·mo·gene·ous·ly adverb
• nonho·mo·gene·ous·ness noun
• unho·mo·gene·ous adjective
• unho·mo·gene·ous·ly adverb
• unho·mo·gene·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of homogeneous¹

First recorded in 1635–45; from Medieval Latin homogeneus, from homogene-, stem of Greek homogenḗs “of the same kind” ( homo-, gene ) + -us -ous

Example Sentences

They found that the helical fibers formed by the second-generation dendron chlorophylls exhibited a highly ordered structure, while the third-generation dendron chlorophylls displayed a more homogeneous, spherical shape.

From Science Daily

“I’m not saying we need to be 100 percent homogeneous. I’m not saying we need to be North Korea or Japan or anything like that. A return to 80 percent, 90 percent white would probably be, probably the best we could hope for, to some degree.”

From Salon

Democrats, he says, assume that people of color constitute a homogeneous voting bloc whose loyalty can be best earned through acts that speak to their “racial identity,” like the 2022 appointment of a Black woman, Ketanji Brown Jackson, to the Supreme Court.

From Slate

Social scientists and other real experts have shown that contrary to these White dreams of a white utopia and “superior” “culturally and racially homogeneous” societies, “racially” and ethnically diverse societies and countries with a strong civil culture and shared values are actually more dynamic and economically vibrant.

From Salon

In fairness, the three “blue wall” states are not entirely homogeneous; their urban centers are rightly celebrated for their diversity.

From Slate