Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
- a combining form meaning “different,” “other,” used in the formation of compound words: heterocyclic.
combining form
- other, another, or differentheterodyne; heterophony; heterosexual Compare homo-
word-forming element meaning “other, different,” from comb. form of Greek heteros “the other (of two), another, different;” first element meaning “one, at one, together,” from PIE *sem- “one;” the second cognate with the second element in Latin al-ter, Gothic an-þar, Old English o-ðer “other.”
pref.
- Other; different:heterocellular.
- A prefix that means different or other, as in heterophyllous, having different kinds of leaves.