heterogeneous

adjective

het·​ero·​ge·​neous ˌhe-tə-rə-ˈjēn-yəs 

ˌhe-trə-, 

-ˈjē-nē-əs

: consisting of dissimilar or diverse ingredients or constituents : mixed

an ethnically heterogeneous population

compare homogeneous

heterogeneously adverb

heterogeneousness noun

Synonyms of heterogeneous

• eclectic
• varied
• mixed
• diverse
• assorted

Examples of heterogeneous in a Sentence

the seating in the hall was a heterogeneous collection of old school desk chairs, wood and metal folding chairs, and even a few plush theater seats

Recent Examples on the Web

But the season’s most sprawling and heterogeneous exhibition might be at the New Museum, which has finally set a date for its reopening. —Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026

Populations become more heterogeneous. —Elise Felicione, STAT, 26 Feb. 2026

That delight was an artifact of privilege, for sure—the privilege of someone working in a heterogeneous sociopolitical space. —Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026

The result is the ability to make disparate robotic systems work together and provide commanders with a universal command interface for controlling a heterogeneous fleet of drones. —New Atlas, 19 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin heterogeneus (borrowed from Greek heterogenḗs "of different kinds," from hetero- hetero- + -genēs, adjective derivative of génos "ancestry, race, class, kind") + -ous — more at kin entry 1

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for heterogeneous

• arsenious
• ingenious
• genius

Kids Definition

heterogeneous

adjective

het·​er·​o·​ge·​neous

ˌhet-ə-rə-ˈjē-nē-əs, 

-nyəs

: differing in kind : consisting of dissimilar parts : mixed

a heterogeneous population

heterogeneously adverb

heterogeneousness noun

Medical Definition

heterogeneous

adjective

het·​ero·​ge·​neous ˌhet-ə-rə-ˈjē-nē-əs, ˌhe-trə-, -nyəs 

: not uniform in structure or composition

tumors which have a heterogeneous composition by reason of structure and presence of necrosis

—Year Book of Endocrinology

heterogeneously adverb