heterotopia

[ het-er-uh-toh-pee-uh ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. misplacement or displacement, as of an organ.
2. the formation of tissue in a part where its presence is abnormal.

heterotopia

/ ˌhɛtəˈrɒtəpɪ; ˌhɛtərəʊˈtəʊpɪə /

noun

1. abnormal displacement of a bodily organ or part

Derived Forms

• ˌheteroˈtopic, adjective

Other Words From

• het·er·o·top·ic [het-er-, uh, -, top, -ik], heter·oto·pous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterotopia¹

From New Latin; hetero-, top-, -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterotopia¹

C19: from New Latin, from hetero- + Greek topos place

Example Sentences

That’s the case with “Heterotopia,” whose title track is a reference to Foucault’s idea of otherness.

From New York Times

In academia, philosopher Michel Foucault called it a “heterotopia”, but most of us might think of it as a bit of a headfuck, a space or place in time that has more meaning or relationship to another space than it might first appear.

From The Guardian