heter-, hetero-

A person who has an unreasonable fear of what is different, fear of or heterosexuals, or bitterness towards the opposite sex: In the newspaper article, Joe read about some heterophobes who lived together and avoided as much as possible coming together with other people who were different in any way, including those at variance to their own gender.

An irrational dread of doing something differently or of not being able to do things in the usual way or manner: Greg suffered from heterophobia in that he always did the same things every morning and was afraid to do anything in an unfamiliar way.

The term heterophobia does not necessarily have to do with a hatred or fear of heterosexuals or their cultures!

Relating to the fear of things or actions that are different: Sam had an extremely heterophobiac dread of black cats because je thought they would bring him bad luck!

1. The change of voice at puberty: When Tim turned 14, he had a condition of heterophonia because his voice sounded a bit broken and lower.
2. Any abnormality in the voice sounds: When Susan had a case of laryngitis,, she couldn't talk at all because she had very cracked voice, she she only whispered when necessary.

In music, pertaining to the simultaneous singing of at least two versions of a melody: Heterophonic music is a kind of basic melody that is presented with different voices and each one presenting the melody differently, like with a different rhythm.

Simultaneous performance by two or more singers or instrumentalists of different versions of the same melody: Heterophony is the singing or sounding of the same melody by two or more voices or instruments, usually with some modifications (as in rhythm or ornamentation) by one or both of the performers.

A tendency for deviation of the eyes from parallelism, prevented by binocular vision: Heterophoria can be caused by the weakness of the ocular muscles, and therefore preventing the visual axis to meet at the fixation-point.

A condition in which the eyes are different in color or direction: Lynn had a girlfriend who had one brown and one blue eye called heterophthalmy. (

Referring to one plant that bears leaves of different forms: The species Syngonium podophyllum of the arrowhead has more than one type of foliage on its stems.

A plant that depends on other living or dead plants for its nutrients: A parasite or saprophyte is a heterophyte and obtains its nourishment from living or dead plants or animals for food.

The replacement of normal tissue with abnormal tissue; malposition of normal cells: Jill read in her medical book that heteroplasia was the formation of unusual or unfamiliar tissue on a specific area of the body, for example cancer.

A tissue formed in a part where it does not normally occur: When Mr. Hathaway had his physical check-up, he was told by Dr. Smart that he had heteroplasm, a condition of strange tissue palpable where it wasn't supposed to be.

In neurology, of nerve cells, having various branches or processes: Such heteropodal nerve cells possess various types of branches.

Unequal vision in the two eyes: Dr. Smart explained to Virginia that she had a case of heteropsia due to the difference of refractive power between her left and her right eye which caused an inequality of vision in both eyes.

1. Characterized by a sexual interest in members of the opposite sex: Jack and Jill had a romantic relationship which they described as a heterosexual affair!
2. Pertaining to sexual relations between people of the opposite sex: When Susan married Dick they had a very fulfilling heterosexual marriage and had 5 children!