What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
heterologous
Example
The vaccine contains heterologous proteins from a different virus. [heterologous: adjective]
Example
The patient received a heterologous bone graft from a donor. [heterologous: adjective]
heterogeneous
Example
The team was made up of a heterogeneous group of individuals with different skills and backgrounds. [heterogeneous: adjective]
Example
The soil was found to be heterogeneous in terms of its mineral content. [heterogeneous: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Heterogeneous is more commonly used than heterologous in everyday language. Heterogeneous is a more general term that can be applied to a wide range of situations, while heterologous is a more specialized term that is primarily used in medical or biological contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between heterologous and heterogeneous?
Both heterologous and heterogeneous have technical and specialized connotations, but heterologous is generally considered to be more formal and specific than heterogeneous, which is more commonly used in everyday language.
