heterogeneous

heterogeneous — adjective

1. A group or collection that is heterogeneous contains many different types of thi

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

A group or collection that is heterogeneous contains many different types of things or people that do not all share the same features.

Example

Élise teaches a heterogeneous group of students from nine different countries.

heterogeneous group of + [plural noun]

The garden contains a heterogeneous mix of flowers native to four continents.

heterogeneous mix of + [noun]

Common collocations
  • heterogeneous group
  • heterogeneous population
  • heterogeneous sample
  • heterogeneous mixture
  • heterogeneous collection
  • heterogeneous team
Synonyms
  • diverse

    Less formal and far more common; works for both people and things in everyday contexts

  • varied

    Emphasizes contrast across items without the scientific tone; good for general use

  • mixed

    Informal and shorter; often used for groups that contain both positive and negative elements

  • miscellaneous

    Suggests items thrown together without a clear organising principle; slightly less precise

Antonyms
  • homogeneous

    Direct opposite — made of the same kind of parts or people throughout

  • uniform

    Emphasizes sameness of appearance or quality across all members of a group

Grammar Patterns

heterogeneous + noun

heterogeneous in + [aspects]

Usage Note

Common in academic and professional writing. Be careful with spelling — the word is often misspelled as 'heterogenous' (missing the second 'e').

Common Mistakes

The group was heterogenous and hard to manage.
The group was heterogeneous and hard to manage.
The correct spelling has a second 'e' after 'r': hetero-gene-ous.
The city has a heterogeneous food scene.
The city has a diverse food scene.
For everyday topics, 'diverse' or 'varied' sounds more natural; 'heterogeneous' is very formal.

Word family

  • heterogeneity
    nounC1
  • heterogeneously
    adverbC2
  • homogeneous
    adjectiveB2
  • homogeneity
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a group whose members are not identical, but they differ in register and scope. 'Diverse' is the closest everyday synonym — it commonly describes groups of people with different backgrounds and is far more frequent in conversation and news. 'Varied' focuses on contrast among items ('varied opinions', 'varied menu') without the scientific tone of 'heterogeneous'. 'Mixed' is the most informal and shortest option, often used when a group contains both good and bad, or both men and women. 'Miscellaneous' implies an unplanned assortment of odds and ends rather than an intentional combination of different elements. For academic or technical writing about composition or statistical samples, 'heterogeneous' remains the precise choice.

diverse ↗varied ↗mixed ↗miscellaneous ↗

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Borrowed from Greek 'heterogenēs,' where 'hetero-' means 'other/different' and '-genēs' means 'kind/race.' The word entered English in the early 1600s as a term in philosophy and natural science, later spreading to general academic use.