homogeneous

adjective

ho·​mo·​ge·​neous ˌhō-mə-ˈjē-nē-əs How to pronounce homogeneous (audio)
-ˈjēn-yəs
1
: of the same or a similar kind or nature
2
: of uniform structure or composition throughout
a culturally homogeneous neighborhood
3
: having the property that if each variable is replaced by a constant times that variable the constant can be factored out : having each term of the same degree if all variables are considered
a homogeneous equation
homogeneously adverb
homogeneousness noun

Did you know?

Homogeneous comes from the Greek roots hom-, meaning "same," and genos, meaning "kind." The similar word homogenous is a synonym of the same origin.

Example Sentences

In their natural state, mountains of this type are almost entirely covered by dense forest. The wooded landscape is very uniform, lacking in contrast, and any disturbance of the homogeneous green blanket is very obvious … John Crowley, Focus on Geography, Winter 2007
One odd side effect is that, during the last 20 years, the formerly homogeneous, rather stodgy world of academic criticism has diversified into an incoherent mob of competing factions. Walter Kendrick, New York Times Book Review, 24 Dec. 1995
The Benedictine convents for women, which had begun to be founded soon after Benedict's day, became particularly homogeneous in their social composition. The nuns of the ninth and tenth centuries were all high-born ladies, and it was almost impossible to be admitted to these convents without being a widowed or maiden relative of an important lord. Norman F. Cantor, The Civilization of the Middle Ages, 1993
a fairly homogeneous collection of examples
Recent Examples on the Web Croatia, almost ethnically homogeneous as a result of the 1990s violence that drove out many Serbs and members of other minorities, has mostly moved beyond the narrow ethnonationalism of Mr. Tudjman’s era and become a member of the European Union and NATO. Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2023 In most media, the French Revolution and the years leading up to it are so whitewashed that you’d be forgiven for thinking France was homogeneous at that time. Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 20 Apr. 2023 Not only were those funds repayable on demand, however, the depositor base was homogeneous — and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and investors tend to move in lockstep. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2023 Cut them coarsely with a knife so as to obtain homogeneous portions. Morgan Hines, USA TODAY, 23 Dec. 2022 Nor will any country ever have a morally pure, homogeneous Left. Mark Edmundson, Harper’s Magazine , 12 Dec. 2022 In Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood, you’re reminded that South Korea is neither homogeneous nor locked into an abstemious order. E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2022 Right now, boards are homogeneous. Debra Mccormack, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2023 Historians have long thought the Gravettian people were homogeneous, despite ranging from Southern to Central Europe. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 29 Aug. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'homogeneous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin homogeneus, homogenus, from Greek homogenēs, from hom- + genos kind — more at kin

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of homogeneous was in 1641

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Dictionary Entries Near homogeneous

Cite this Entry

“Homogeneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homogeneous. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

homogeneous

adjective
ho·​mo·​ge·​neous ˌhō-mə-ˈjē-nē-əs How to pronounce homogeneous (audio)
-nyəs
1
: of the same or a similar kind or nature
2
: being the same throughout
a culturally homogenous neighborhood
homogeneity
-jə-ˈnē-ət-ē
noun
homogeneously
-ˈjē-nē-əs-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

homogeneous

adjective
ho·​mo·​ge·​neous -ˈjē-nē-əs, -nyəs How to pronounce homogeneous (audio)
: of uniform structure or composition throughout
homogeneously adverb
homogeneousness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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