homogamous
|ho-mog-a-mous|
🇺🇸
/hoʊˈmɑːɡəməs/
🇬🇧
/hɒˈmɒɡəməs/
same reproductive timing or pairing
Etymology
'homogamous' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'homogamus', where the prefix 'homo-' meant 'same' and the root 'gamos' meant 'marriage'.
'homogamus' was formed in Neo-Latin (scientific Latin) from Greek elements 'homos' + 'gamos', and the English adjective 'homogamous' was borrowed into scientific usage (particularly in botany and biology) in the 19th century.
Initially, the components referred literally to 'same marriage' or 'same mating'; over time the term's use broadened in biology to mean 'having reproductive structures or timing that are the same (synchronous)', and in social sciences to describe pairing within similar groups.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
in botany: having flowers that mature, open, or are fertile at the same time (synchronous flowering or receptivity).
Many species in this genus are homogamous, their male and female parts becoming receptive at the same time.
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Adjective 2
in social biology/sociology: relating to homogamy — involving pairing or marriage between individuals who are similar in certain characteristics (e.g., social class, education).
The study noted homogamous tendencies in partner choice: people often selected partners with similar educational backgrounds.
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Last updated: 2025/12/07 02:49