homogenous
UK[hɒˈmɒdʒɪnəs]US[hoʊˈmɑːdʒənəs]
adj
Of the same kind; alike.
adj
Consisting of parts all of the same kind.
Morpheme Breakdown
homo
gen
ous
homo
same
gen
kind
ous
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word homogenous is built from Greek components via scientific Latin. The first element, homo-, derives from the Greek homos (same), a term of fundamental comparison. It combines with -genous, from Greek genos (birth, race, kind), which relates to the concept of origin or type. Literally, the compound means "of the same kind or origin." Historically, in biological and general scientific contexts, it described substances or groups composed of identical or similar elements. Over time, its usage expanded into broader discourse to characterize any uniform or consistent composition, emphasizing a lack of internal differentiation.
Analysis
Structure: homo (same) + gen (kind) + ous (adjective suffix)
homo: From Greek homos, meaning "same".
gen: From Greek genos, meaning "kind, race, stock".
ous: A suffix of Latin origin forming adjectives, meaning "full of, having the qualities of".
Examples
The population of the small island was remarkably homogenous.
The mixture was stirred until it became completely homogenous.
Critics argue that a homogenous culture can stifle creativity and innovation.