variants or hetero-
1
: other than usual : other : different
heterophyllous
2
: containing atoms of different kinds
heterocyclic

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Greek, from heteros; akin to Greek heis one — more at same

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heter-.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heter-. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

heter-

combining form
variants or hetero-
: other : different
heterosexual
Etymology

derived from Greek heteros "different, other"

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster