homologous
/həˈmɒləɡəs/adjective
homologous is an adjective meaning “In corresponding proportion” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). It is spelled H-O-M-O-L-O-G-O-U-S and has 4 syllables, and it appears about once in every 2 million words in written English (wordfreq, 2021 data).
What does homologous mean?
adjective
- 1
In corresponding proportion.
- 2
Corresponding to a similar structure in another life form with a common evolutionary origin.
Flippers and hands are homologous structures.
- 3
Belonging to a series of aliphatic organic compounds that differ only by the addition of a CH₂ group.
- 4
Having the same morphology as another chromosome or locus; relating to a homologue.
- 5
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.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you pronounce homologous?
- /həˈmɒləɡəs/
Homologous has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-homologous.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of homologous
- more homologous comparative
- most homologous superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How common is homologous?
Homologous appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,943rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Homologous in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense showing a degree of correspondence:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does homologous come from?
From Late Latin homologus, from Ancient Greek ὁμόλογος (homólogos, “agreeing, of one mind”), from ὁμός (homós, “same”) + λόγος (lógos, “reason, reckoning”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).