homomorphy
- noun
- /ˌhoʊməˈmɔrfi/
- Specialized
- Biologists study homomorphy to understand how different species can independently evolve similar forms.
Examples
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Some unrelated animals display remarkable homomorphy due to convergent evolution.
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The principle of homomorphy can be observed in various crystalline structures that share similar shapes.
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The concept of homomorphy is fascinating in evolutionary biology.
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Many species exhibit homomorphy despite their different evolutionary paths.
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Biologists study homomorphy to understand how different species can independently evolve similar forms.
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Some unrelated animals display remarkable homomorphy due to convergent evolution.
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Many species exhibit homomorphy despite their different evolutionary paths.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A trait that appears on its own in different species not from a common ancestor
1
9.9
A similarity of shape or structure across organisms and their parts
1
6.8
The fact of being similar in how something looks or behaves
Similarity in shape and structure between different living things
Surface Forms
Morphology
homomorphy = homomorph (transparent) = homo + morph + y
The noun is formed by adding the productive noun-forming suffix '-y' to the base 'homomorph', and the meaning 'state of same form' follows directly from 'homo-' (same) + 'morph' (form).
Etymology
The word homomorphy comes from Greek parts homo- 'same' and -morph 'shape', so it literally means 'same shape'. Think of the homo- in homogeneous 'all the same' to help you remember that homomorphy describes different animals or objects that have a similar shape even when they are not related.