homogeneous

adjective

ho·​mo·​ge·​neous ˌhō-mə-ˈjēn-yəs 

-ˈjē-nē-əs

1

: of the same or a similar kind or nature

… groups with members from a variety of backgrounds tend to be better at problem-solving than groups whose backgrounds are relatively homogeneous.

—Kwame Anthony Appiah

2

: of uniform structure or composition throughout

a homogeneous mass/mixture

a culturally homogeneous group

compare heterogeneous

3

mathematics : having the property that if each variable is replaced by a constant multiplied by 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.

Examples of homogeneous in a Sentence

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

Stir until a homogeneous mass is obtained. —Laura Solla, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025

After studying her pictures, Walter realized that the corona was not homogeneous. —Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025

And because autism isn’t homogeneous—each experience of it is unique—a parent can never fully understand the world their own child inhabits by observing others. —Sean Williams, Outside, 27 Oct. 2025

Japan, one of the world’s most homogeneous nations, faces deepening labor shortages as its birth rate plummets and its population ages. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin homogeneus (borrowed from Greek homogenḗs "of the same family, related by birth, of the same kind," from homo- homo- + -genēs, adjective derivative of génos "ancestry, race, class, kind") + -ous — more at kin entry 1

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for homogeneous

• consanguineous
• inhomogeneous
• nonhomogeneous
• sanguineous

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Kids Definition

homogeneous

adjective

ho·​mo·​ge·​neous ˌhō-mə-ˈjē-nē-əs 

-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 

: of uniform structure or composition throughout

homogeneously adverb

homogeneousness noun