Dictionary

heterogeneous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˌhɛt.(ə.)ɹəˈd͡ʒiː.ni.əs/ (US)
• /ˌhɛt.(ə.)ɹəˈd͡ʒiː.nɪəs/ (UK)
• /ˌhɛt.(ə)ˈɹɑd͡ʒ.ə.nəs/ (US)
• audio Queensland
• /ˌhɛt.(ə.)ɹəʊˈd͡ʒiː.nɪəs/ (UK)
• /ˌhɛt.(ə)ˈɹɒd͡ʒ.ə.nəs/ (UK)
• /ˌhet.(ə.)ɹəˈd͡ʒiː.ni.əs/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• /ˌhɛt.(ə.)ɹoʊˈd͡ʒiː.ni.əs/ (US)

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.

Meanings

1. 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:
2. Incommensurable because of different kinds.
3. Having more than one phase (solid, liquid, gas) present in a system or process.
4. Visibly consisting of different components.
5. 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.

Forms

Antonyms

homogeneous

Deriveds

microheterogeneous · heterogenize · heterogeneous equilibrium

Hyponyms

assorted · omnifarious

Relateds

heterogeneous catalysis · heterogeneously · heterogenous · heterogeneity · heterogeneal · heterogene · uniformity · heterogeneousness · heterogeneous mixture · hodgepodge

Synonyms

multifold · liberal · sundry · manifold · eclectic · mixed · various · miscellaneous · varied · catholic · motley · dishomogeneous · variable · heterogeneous · diversified · heterologous (composed of diverse parts, or coming from diverse sources) · diverse · multifarious

Translations (58)

es heterogéneo (chemistry: visibly consisting of different components) · gl heteroxéneo (diverse in kind) · cs různorodý (diverse in kind) · pl niejednorodny (diverse in kind) · fi heterogeeninen (physics: having more than one phase) · fa ناهملوناء (computing: comprising different types of computers or formats) · az qarışıq (physics: having more than one phase) · sq heterogjen (diverse in kind) · sv heterogen (diverse in kind) · bg хетерогенен (chemistry: visibly consisting of different components) · kk гетерогенді (diverse in kind) · gd iol-ghnèitheach (diverse in kind) · es heterogéneo (mathematics: incommensurable) · fi sekalainen (diverse in kind) · kk біртекті емес (diverse in kind) · ro eterogen (physics: having more than one phase) · tl dam-uriin (chemistry: visibly consisting of different components) · fi heterogeeninen (mathematics: incommensurable) · te విభిన్న (diverse in kind) · ru гетероге́нный (diverse in kind) · fi heterogeeninen (diverse in kind) · id heterogen (diverse in kind) · fi heterogeeninen (computing: comprising different types of computers or formats) · cmn 異質 /异质 (diverse in kind) · kk гетерогендік (diverse in kind) · fr hétérogène (diverse in kind) · az qarışıq (diverse in kind) · gv yl-chynnoil (diverse in kind) · fi heterogeeninen (chemistry: visibly consisting of different components) · nn heterogen (diverse in kind) · sq i tjetërllojshëm (diverse in kind) · nl heterogene (diverse in kind) · ro eterogen (diverse in kind) · pl heterogeniczny (diverse in kind) · ro neuniform (diverse in kind) · bg разнороден (diverse in kind) · pt heterogêneo (diverse in kind) · la heterogeneus (diverse in kind) · it eterogeneo (diverse in kind) · el ετερογενής (diverse in kind) · ru неодноро́дный (diverse in kind) · es heterogéneo (diverse in kind) · ca heterogeni (diverse in kind) · te విజాతి (diverse in kind) · de heterogen (diverse in kind) · ga ilghnéitheach (diverse in kind) · kk біртексіз (diverse in kind) · nb heterogen (diverse in kind) · fi epäyhtenäinen (diverse in kind) · nl heterogeen (diverse in kind) · es heterogéneo (computing: comprising different types of computers or formats) · ga ilchineálach (diverse in kind) · hu heterogén (diverse in kind) · kk әртекті (diverse in kind) · gv yl-cheintagh (diverse in kind) · es heterogéneo (physics: having more than one phase) · cs heterogenní (diverse in kind) · tl dam-uriin (physics: having more than one phase)