What does homogamy mean?
Homogamy describes the practice or tendency of pairing within a similar group. In biological and genetic contexts, it refers to positive assortative mating: individuals tend to mate with others who share comparable phenotypes, inherited characteristics, or genetic backgrounds. This pattern can help preserve particular traits within a population and, in some circumstances, may contribute to the expression of recessive disorders. In anthropology, social history, and the study of marriage, homogamy has a broader social meaning, describing marriage within a defined religious, ethnic, occupational, regional, or family group. The term is not synonymous with inbreeding, because pairing with genetically similar people does not necessarily imply mating between close relatives. Homogamy is also commonly contrasted with heterogamy, in which individuals pair across genetically or socially different groups. While rarely used in everyday conversation, it is a precise term for describing whether reproduction or marriage tends to occur within or across differentiated social or biological groups.
nounHomogamy is the practice or tendency of mating or marrying within a genetically or socially similar group. In biology, it refers to positive assortative mating between individuals with similar phenotypes or genotypes; in social and historical usage, it means marriage within a particular community or group.
- In biology, the practice or tendency of mating between individuals with similar phenotypes or genotypes.
- In social and historical contexts, the practice or tendency of marrying within a particular social, religious, ethnic, or community group.
"The population's high levels of homogamy have preserved several unusual genetic traits."
"Genetic analysis suggested that homogamy among the island population had persisted for several generations."
"The community's traditions encouraged homogamy, with marriages generally arranged within the wider family network."
The plural is possible but uncommon; the term is normally used in the singular or as a mass noun.
"The study identified several historical cases of homogamies within the community."
Homogamy pairs like with like; heterogamy does the opposite.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does homogamy come from?
Homogamy was formed in the early 19th century from Greek homos, meaning “same,” and gamos, meaning “marriage” or “union.” Its development follows the same Greek combination found in contrasting and related terms such as heterogamy, monogamy, and endogamy. The word originally described marriage within a social group and was later adopted in biology for mating among genetically or phenotypically similar individuals.
How homogamy is actually used
This is primarily a specialized term in biology, genetics, anthropology, and social history. In biological writing, it usually describes positive assortative mating rather than necessarily implying close kinship or inbreeding.
Easily confused with homogamy
Homogamy involves mating or marriage within a similar group, whereas heterogamy involves pairing with individuals from genetically or socially different groups.
Homogamy refers to mating between genetically or phenotypically similar individuals, while isogamy is sexual reproduction involving gametes of the same size.