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heterogeneous

Adjective

IPA /ˌhetərəˈdʒiːniəs/

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Meaning in plain English

Made up of noticeably different kinds of people or things.

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Pronunciation

heterogeneous/ˌhetərəˈdʒiːniəs/

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Different kinds belong to one collection
A group includes varied backgrounds
A sample contains varied sources

A heterogeneous group contains different types rather than one uniform kind.

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The market attracted a heterogeneous crowd of residents, tourists and traders.
The study used a heterogeneous sample drawn from several age groups.

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The market attracted a ________ crowd of residents, tourists and traders.

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heterogeneous — Made up of noticeably different kinds of people or things.

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Made up of noticeably different kinds of people or things.

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Word origin

From Greek heterogenes, through medieval Latin, combining elements meaning other and kind.

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Homogeneous describes a more uniform group; heterogeneous emphasises variety.

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