heterogeneous
adjUK /ˌhɛt.(ə.)ɹəˈd͡ʒiː.nɪəs/ · US /ˌhɛt.(ə.)ɹəˈd͡ʒiː.ni.əs/
Etymology From Medieval Latin heterogeneus, from Ancient Greek ἑτερογενής (heterogenḗs, “of different kinds”), from ἕτερος (héteros, “other, another, different”) + γένος (génos, “kind”). Compare hetero- and -ous.
Diverse in kind or nature; composed of diverse parts.
- He had a large and heterogeneous collection of books.
- With a vague curiosity I began to trace the outline of some of the heterogeneous impressions, trying meanwhile to curb the flights of macabre fancy which the place and its memories suggested.1931, H. P. Lovecraft, chapter 6, in The Whisperer in Darkness:
Mathematics, Sciences Incommensurable because of different kinds.
Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Visibly consisting of different components.
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Of a network comprising different types of computers, potentially with vastly differing memory sizes, processing power and even basic underlying architecture; alternatively, of a data resource with multiple types of formats.
- Synonyms
- heterologous, diverse, manifold, catholic, dishomogeneous, diversified, eclectic, heterogeneous, liberal, miscellaneous, mixed, motley, multifarious, multifold, sundry, variable, varied, various
- Antonyms
- homogeneous
- Derived terms
- heterogeneous equilibrium, heterogenize, microheterogeneous
- Related terms
- heterogene, heterogeneal, heterogeneity, heterogeneous catalysis, heterogeneously, heterogeneous mixture, heterogeneousness, heterogenous, hodgepodge, uniformity
- Hyponyms
- assorted, omnifarious