Homogeneous

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ËŒhÉ’.məˈdÊ’iː.nɪəs/, /həˈmÉ’.dʒɪ.nÉ™s/
• US IPA: /ËŒhoÊŠ.moʊˈdÊ’iː.niÉ™s/, /həˈmÉ’.dʒɪ.nÉ™s/

Origin

From Medieval Latin homogeneus, from Ancient Greek ὁμογενής ("of the same race, family or kind"), from ὁμός (homos, "same") + γένος (genos, "kind"). Compare homo- ("same") and -ous, adjectival suffix.

Full definition of homogeneous

Adjective

1. Of the same kind; alike, similar.
2. Having the same composition throughout; of uniform make-up.
• 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.25:Their citizens were not of homogenous origin, but were from all parts of Greece.
3. (chemistry) in the same state of matter.
4. (mathematics) Of which the properties of a smaller set apply to the whole; scalable.The function f(x,y)=x²+y² is homogeneous of degree 2 because f(αx,αy)=α²f(x,y).

Antonyms

• heterogeneous

Related terms

• homogeneity
• homogenise, homogenize

Derived terms