Definition

Made up of different or diverse elements; not uniform in composition.

Example

The research team studied a heterogenous group of participants from various backgrounds.

Conversation

I read that some bone transplants can be heterogenous in nature.

Really? I didn't know that they could come from different species.

Yeah, it makes the process more complicated sometimes.

It does sound complex, but I guess that's how science works!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Heterogeneous → It is formed from "hetero-" (from Greek "heteros", meaning different) and "genus" (from Latin, meaning kind or type). The word describes a mixture or composition made up of different kinds or types.

Memory Tip

Think of 'different' ('hetero-') kinds or types ('genus') coming together — that's what heterogeneous means.

Visually Confused Words