homology

ho·mol·o·gy

noun \hō-ˈmä-lə-jē, hə-\

plural ho·mol·o·gies

Definition of HOMOLOGY

1

: a similarity often attributable to common origin

2

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

3

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

4

: 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

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