Homology
/həˈmɒlədʒi/noun
A correspondence or similarity between entities, especially structures inherited from a common ancestor or related mathematical systems.
Did you know?Biologist Richard Owen formalized “homology” in 1843 to describe structures inherited from a common ancestor, distinguishing them from merely similar adaptations.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sem-
“One; together; unified”
Ancient Greek
Greek
homós (ὁμός)
“Same; common; alike”
Ancient Greek
Greek
homología (ὁμολογία)
“Agreement; a speaking the same way; acknowledgment”
Late Antiquity
Greek
homología
“Agreement or correspondence, especially in theological and rhetorical usage”
17th Century
New Latin
homologia
“Correspondence or similarity; a scholarly term”
1843
English
homology
“A relationship of structural correspondence, especially between biological organs or parts”
Modern English
English
homology
“Similarity due to shared ancestry, or a corresponding relationship in mathematics and related fields”
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