homology
/hoʊˈmɑlədʒi/
noun
- A similarity between things because they come from a common ancestor or origin.
- The homology between human arms and bat wings shows they evolved from a shared ancestor.
- Scientists study genetic homology to understand how different species are related.
- The homology of the bones in a whale's flipper and a dog's leg is evidence of common descent.
- A similarity in structure or function between different things that is not due to common ancestry, but to similar needs or environment.
- In mathematics, homology refers to a way of measuring the shape of a space.
- The homology between the two stories was striking, even though they were written centuries apart.
- The wings of birds and insects show homology in function but not in evolutionary origin.
Synonyms