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homology

 - 3 dictionary results

ho⋅mol⋅o⋅gy

[huh-mol-uh-jee, hoh-]
–noun, plural -gies.
1. the state of being homologous; homologous relation or correspondence.
2. Biology.
a. a fundamental similarity based on common descent.
b. a structural similarity of two segments of one animal based on a common developmental origin.
3. Chemistry. the similarity of organic compounds of a series in which each member differs from its adjacent compounds by a fixed increment, as by CH2.
4. Mathematics. a classification of figures according to certain topological properties.

Origin:
1650–60; < Gk homología agreement, equiv. to homólog(os) homologous + -ia -y 3
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ho·mol·o·gy   (hə-mŏl'ə-jē, hō-)   
n.   pl. ho·mol·o·gies
  1. The quality or condition of being homologous.

  2. A homologous relationship or correspondence.

  3. Chemistry

    1. The relation of the elements of a periodic family or group.

    2. The relation of the organic compounds forming a homologous series.

  4. Mathematics A topological classification of configurations into distinct types that imposes an algebraic structure or hierarchy on families of geometric figures.


[Greek homologiā, agreement, from homologos, agreeing; see homologous.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ho·mol·o·gy
Pronunciation: hO-'mäl-&-jE, h&-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -gies
1 a : likeness in structure between parts of different organisms due to evolutionary differentiation from the same or a corresponding part of a remote ancestor —compare ANALOGY, HOMOMORPHY b : correspondencein structure between different parts of the same individual
2 a : the relation existing between chemical compounds in a series whose successive members have in composition aregular difference especially of one carbon and two hydrogen atoms CH2 b : the relation existing among elements in the same group of the periodic table c : similarity of nucleotide or amino acid sequence (as in nucleic acids or proteins)
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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