homologous

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word homologous. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word homologous, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say homologous in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word homologous you have here. The definition of the word homologous will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofhomologous, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology

From Late Latin homologus, from Ancient Greek ὁμόλογος (homólogos, agreeing, of one mind), from ὁμός (homós, same) + λόγος (lógos, reason, reckoning). Compare homo- (same) and -ous (adjectival suffix). From 1655, in the mathematical sense. See also homolog, homologue.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /həˈmɒləɡəs/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

homologous (comparative more homologous, superlative most homologous)

  1. Showing a degree of correspondence or similarity.
    1. (mathematics) In corresponding proportion.
      Coordinate term: homomorphic
      • 1655, Thomas Stanley, “[Thales.] Chapter VII. Of His Geometry.”, in The History of Philosophy. , volume I, London: Humphrey Moseley, and Thomas Dring, , →OCLC, 1st part (), page 18:
        Of equiangle triangles, the ſides that are about equall angles are proportionall, and the ſides that ſubtend the equall angles are homologous.
    2. (biology) Corresponding to a similar structure in another life form with a common evolutionary origin.
      Coordinate term: homomorphic
      Flippers and hands are homologous structures.
      • 1992, Rudolf M Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 4:
        Lobules, homologous in structure, recur again only in the Gondwanalandic families Lepidolaenaceae and Jubulopsidaceae thus in the Lepidolaenineae.
    3. (chemistry) Belonging to a series of aliphatic organic compounds that differ only by the addition of a CH₂ group.
    4. (genetics) Having the same morphology as another chromosome or locus; relating to a homologue.
    5. (cultural anthropology, structural anthropology) Playing the same role as seen in another culture, whether by historical connection, psychological archetype, convergent cultural evolution, or otherwise (as may be hypothesized but not known with certainty by current science), as for example with the cryptozoologic concepts of yeti and sasquatch, the use of polite and familiar pronouns, or other similarities.

Usage notes

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “homologous”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
  2. ^ homologous”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
  3. ^ Earliest Known Uses of Some of the Words of Mathematics (H)