heterogeneous

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌhɛtərəˈdʒiniəs/ UK /ˌhɛtərəˈdʒiːniəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
composed of diverse or dissimilar elements

The city's heterogeneous population spoke dozens of languages.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · composed of diverse or... diverse varied mixed dissimilar disparate motley assorted

Opposites

homogeneous uniform identical alike consistent

Word family

Derived forms heterogeneouslyheterogeneity

Related forms heterogeneity homogeneous

Simplified etymology

Heterogeneous, recorded from the early 17th century, combines Greek hetero-, “other, different,” with an element derived from Greek genos, “kind.” It therefore describes something composed of different kinds.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin heterogeneus, from Ancient Greek heterogenēs, from heteros ('other, different') + genos ('kind, race').

ἑτερογενής Ancient Greek ἕτερος Ancient Greek γένος Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# heterogeneous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌhɛtərəˈdʒiniəs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌhɛtərəˈdʒiːniəs/

## Meanings
1. composed of diverse or dissimilar elements

## Examples
- The city's heterogeneous population spoke dozens of languages.

## Synonyms
- diverse
- varied
- mixed
- dissimilar
- disparate
- motley
- assorted

## Antonyms
- homogeneous
- uniform
- identical
- alike
- consistent

## Derived Forms
- heterogeneously
- heterogeneity

## Related Forms
- heterogeneity
- homogeneous

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ἑτερογενής
- Root: ἕτερος
- Root: γένος
- Affix: hetero- - different

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin heterogeneus, from Ancient Greek heterogenēs, from heteros ('other, different') + genos ('kind, race').

## AI Etymology
Heterogeneous is from Medieval Latin heterogeneus, from Ancient Greek heterogenēs, from heteros ('other, different') + genos ('kind, race'). Important recorded forms include ἑτερογενής (Ancient Greek), ἕτερος (Ancient Greek), and γένος (Ancient Greek). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers composed of diverse or dissimilar elements. The wider family includes derived forms such as heterogeneously and heterogeneity and related words such as heterogeneity and homogeneous.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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