Agency Dictionary
Heterogeneous
adjectivePronunciation: /ˌhɛt.ər.oʊˈdʒiː.ni.əs/
In Portuguese: Heterogêneo
Culture & IdentityWhat does “Heterogeneous” mean?
Composed of diverse, dissimilar elements, individuals, or cultural traditions joined together.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin heterogeneus, from Greek heterogenes, "of different kinds", formed from heteros, "other, different", and genos, "kind, race". The ending was fitted to the English adjective suffix -ous. The word is the opposite of homogeneous, built in the same way on Greek homos, "same".
Usage note
The word has five syllables, with the stress on -ge-. The shorter spelling heterogenous is less common and is often treated as a mistake outside biology.
Synonyms
- diverse
- varied
- mixed
- assorted
- motley
- disparate
Word family
- heterogeneity
- heterogeneously
- heterogeneousness
Rhymes with
- genius
- ingenious
Usage examples
He also points out that this dynamic may nonetheless become a potent factor in a possible new society crystallizing out of this heterogeneous situation - which is actually the paper's subject.
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- shogunatenoun
- A feudal military dictatorship in Japan, headed by a shogun, in which loyalty and honour were central to its operation. The system was exclusive to Japan and did not exist in other Asian nations.
- Monoclenoun
- A single eyeglass lens designed to correct or enhance vision in one eye, held in place by the facial muscles around the eye socket.
- samurainoun
- A member of the warrior class of feudal Japan, bound by codes of loyalty and honour, who served under the shogunate system. In the article, the samurai class is one of the two groups with access to Noh theatre.
- Aûsunoun
- An Old Tupi noun denoting love, affection, friendship, or benevolent regard.
- Aûsubverb
- An Old Tupi transitive verb meaning to love, care for, or hold someone in deep esteem.
- Bilingualadjective
- Possessing the ability to speak two languages fluently, or conducted using two distinct linguistic mediums.
- Decorumnoun
- Behavior in keeping with good taste, propriety, and established standards of dignity.
- espressonoun
- A concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee beans.
- Hinarionoun
- A consecrated book or collection of received spiritual hymns sung in rhythm to structure and guide ceremonies in Santo Daime.
- Hookahnoun
- A traditional water pipe of Middle Eastern origin used for smoking specially prepared flavored tobacco.
- Legacynoun
- An enduring body of work, set of values, or material inheritance handed down from a predecessor to future generations.
- Lineagenoun
- Direct lineal descent from an ancestor, or an unbroken historical sequence of practitioners, ideas, or artistic traditions.
Also from these editions: terms
- Stigmanoun
- A mark of social disgrace, shame, or prejudice associated with a particular circumstance, trait, or behavior.
- Crystallizeverb
- To take definite, structured, or concrete shape after an initial period of ambiguity or fluidity.
- Dialecticaladjective
- Relating to the logical discussion of ideas, opinions, or the dynamic interplay of opposing forces.
- Frivolousadjective
- Lacking any serious purpose or substantive value, characterized by triviality and superficiality.
- Ludicadjective
- Of, relating to, or characterized by play, games, and lighthearted recreation.
- Malandronoun
- A cunning, charming rogue or hustler in Brazilian culture who navigates life with wit, agility, and improvisational ease.
- Manuscriptnoun
- A book, document, or piece of music written or typed by hand rather than mass printed.
- Narcolepticadjective
- Relating to, affected by, or resembling a neurological condition characterized by sudden, involuntary bouts of deep sleep.
- Polymathnoun
- A person of broad and comprehensive knowledge who excels across multiple distinct intellectual disciplines.
- Subproletarianadjective
- Relating to or belonging to an impoverished social stratum positioned below the regular industrial working class.
- Synthesisnoun
- The combination of separate elements, ideas, or entities into a unified, coherent whole.
Also from these editions: concepts
- Ada LovelaceAda Lovelace was an English mathematician of the nineteenth century, known for her notes on Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. The Agency editorial names her three…
- Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci was an Italian artist, engineer and scientist of the Renaissance, the painter of the Mona Lisa. The Agency editorial names him in three editions…
- Steve JobsSteve Jobs was an American businessman, co-founder of Apple. In the Agency editorial he is the credit of a phrase: Issue.15 quotes "Stay hungry, stay foolish" as…
- Hideo KojimaHideo Kojima is a Japanese video game designer and director, known for the Metal Gear series and for Death Stranding. Issue.23 names him twice in one paragraph of the…
- Homo LudensHomo Ludens is a book written in 1938 by Johan Huizinga. In Issue.23, the edition says the term Homo Ludens was first coined in this work, which argues that play is a…
- Jack TorranceJack Torrance is the protagonist of The Shining, the novel by Stephen King that Stanley Kubrick filmed in 1980. In the Agency editorial he appears in Issue.23, which…
- Johan HuizingaJohan Huizinga was a Dutch historian, known for the books The Autumn of the Middle Ages and Homo Ludens. Issue.23 names him once, in the author's prose, as the writer of…
- Ruy BarbosaRuy Barbosa was a Brazilian jurist, politician, diplomat and writer of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Issue.23 names him once, as Ruy Barbosa de…
- Stanley KubrickStanley Kubrick was an American film director, known for films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining. Issue.23 names him once, in the author's prose: after…
- The ShiningThe Shining is a classic film directed by Stanley Kubrick. In Issue.23, the edition cites a line from its script to illustrate the idea that all work and no play makes…
- Thomas AquinasThomas Aquinas was a thirteenth-century Italian Dominican friar, theologian and philosopher, author of the Summa Theologica. Issue.23 names him once, as Saint Thomas…
- CarnivalizationCarnivalization is a cultural and literary concept describing the temporary inversion of social hierarchies, norms, and solemn authorities through joyful communal…