Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “heterogenous” come from?

Heterogenous is an English adjective formed from Ancient Greek ἑτερογενής, derived from γένος meaning "kind" or "race," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- meaning "to produce" or "beget."

heterogenous (English): derived from a different individual or species;...

Definitions

  1. derived from a different individual or species;...

Ancestry of “heterogenous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-genousProducing or yielding
2English-genA producer of something, e.g. hydrogen
3French-gène-gen, -genic
4Latin-genusborn from, sprung form
5Ancient Greek-γενήςborn in a certain place or condition; of a kind
6Ancient Greek-είᾱ—
7Ancient Greek-ήςadjective suffix
8Proto-Indo-European-ēsPrimarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds
9Proto-Indo-European-ess—
10Proto-Indo-European-osCreates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -os →