heter-, hetero-

(Greek: different, other, another, unlike; irregular, abnormal)

This Greek element forms many scientific and other terms, often in opposition to homo-. Sometimes it is also the antonym of auto-, homoeo-, iso-, ortho-, and syn-.

heterogamete
1. A gamete (a mature reproductive cell) produced by the heterogametic sex.
2. A gamete belonging to one of two distinguishable types.

A gamete may fuse with another gamete of the opposite sex, to form a zygote (fertilized gamete); the male gametes are known as sperms and the female gametes as eggs.

heterogamous
The succession of differently organized generations of animals or plants where sexual generation alternates with parthenogenesis.
heterogamy
1. Marriage between persons distinctly unsuitable for each other or who are grossly incomptible.
2. In botany, mediate or indirect fertilization of plants.
heterogeneous
heterogenesis
1. The birth or origination of a living being otherwise than from a parent of the same kind.
2. The generation of animals or vegetables of low organization from inorganic matter; abiogenesis; spontaneous generation.
3. In medicine, of a disease: produced by infection from outside the body.
4. Alternation of generations.
heterogenetic
heterogenic
heterogenous
1. Of one body in respect of another, or of various bodies in respect to each other; that is, diverse in kind or nature, of completely different characters; incongruous; foreign.
2. Composed of diverse elements or constituents; consisting of parts of different kinds; not homogeneous.
heterogeusis
Any parageusia (perversion of the sense of taste) in which all gustatory (taste) stimuli are distorted in a similar way.
heterognathous
Having differently shaped jaws.
heterograft
A graft taken from an individual of a species different from that of the recipient; a heterotransplant; xenograft.
heterographic
1. Referring to spelling that differs from that which is correct according to current usage; “incorrect” spelling.
2. Characterized by irregular and inconsistent spelling.
heterographical
heterogynal
A reference to species of animals in which the females are of two kinds, perfect or fertile, and imperfect or “neuter”, as in bees, ants, etc.
heterogynous

Inter-related cross references, directly or indirectly, involving word units meaning "another, other, different, alternating, varied, changing": ali-; allo-; alter-; allelo-; mut-; poikilo-; reciproc-; vari-.