Definition of: heterogeneous

(het′ər·ə·jē′nē·əs) adjective
Consisting of dissimilar elements or ingredients. [<Med. L heterogeneus <Gk. heterogenēs <hetero- other + genos kind]
—het·er·o·ge·ne·i·ty (het′ər·ə·jə·nē′ə·tē) noun
—het′er·o·ge′ne·ous·ly adverb Synonyms: confused, conglomerate, discordant, dissimilar, mingled, miscellaneous, mixed, non-homogeneous, unhomogeneous, unlike, variant, various. Substances quite unlike are heterogeneous as regards each other. A heterogeneous mixture is one whose constituents are not only unlike in kind, but unevenly distributed; cement is composed of substances such as lime, sand, and clay, which are heterogeneous as regards each other, but the cement is said to be homogeneous if the different constituents are evenly mixed throughout, so that any one portion of the mixture is exactly like any other. A substance may fail of being homogeneous and yet not be heterogeneous, in which case it is said to be non-homogeneous or unhomogeneous; a bar of iron that contains flaws, air bubbles, etc., or for any reason is not of uniform structure and density throughout, even if no foreign substance be mixed with the iron, is said to be non-homogeneous. A miscellaneous mixture may or may not be heterogeneous; if the objects are alike in kind, but different in size, form, quality, use, etc., and without special order or relation, the collection is miscellaneous; if the objects differ in kind, such a mixture is also, and more strictly, heterogeneous. See COMPLEX. Antonyms: alike, homogeneous, identical, like, pure, same, similar, uniform.