homology

noun ho·mol·o·gy \hō-ˈmä-lə-jē, hə-\

plural ho·mol·o·gies

Definition of HOMOLOGY

: a similarity often attributable to common origin

a : likeness in structure between parts of different organisms (as the wing of a bat and the human arm) due to evolutionary differentiation from a corresponding part in a common ancestor — compare analogy

b : correspondence in structure between a series of parts (as vertebrae) in the same individual

: similarity of nucleotide or amino acid sequence (as in nucleic acids or proteins)

: a branch of the theory of topology concerned with partitioning space into geometric components (as points, lines, and triangles) and with the study of the number and interrelationships of these components especially by the use of group theory —called also homology theory — compare cohomology

See homology defined for kids

First Known Use of HOMOLOGY

circa 1656

Other Biochemistry Terms

bile, biodegradable, capsaicin, keratin, metabolism

Rhymes with HOMOLOGY

andrology, anthology, apology, astrology, biology, bryology, cetology, Christology, chronology, conchology, cosmology, cryptology, cytology, dendrology, doxology, ecology, enology, ethnology, ethology, fetology, garbology, gemology, geology, graphology, haplology, histology, horology, hydrology, hymnology, Indology, limnology, lithology, mixology, morphology, mycology, myology, mythology, necrology, nephrology, neurology, nosology, oncology, ontology, oology, pathology, pedology, penology, petrology, phlebology, phonology, phrenology, phycology, proctology, psychology, scatology, seismology, serology, sexology, sinology, symbology, tautology, technology, tetralogy, theology, topology, trichology, typology, ufology, urology, virology, zoology

Medical Dictionary

homology

noun ho·mol·o·gy \hō-ˈmäl-ə-jē, hə-\

plural ho·mol·o·gies

Medical Definition of HOMOLOGY

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 : correspondence in structure between different parts of the same individual

a : the relation existing between chemical compounds in a series whose successive members have in composition a regular 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)