What is "homogamy"

Homogamy \Ho*mog"a*my\, n. (Bot.) The condition of being homogamous.

1805, "condition of bearing flowers that do not differ sexually," from homo- (1) "same" + -gamy.

n. 1 (context botany English) fertilization of a flower by pollen from the same plant 2 (context biology English) breeding between similar individuals; inbreeding 3 (context sociology English) marriage or other union between similar people, or people of the same sex

Homogamy may refer to:

• Homogamy (biology), a term used in biology in three separate senses
• Homogamy (sociology), marriage between individuals who are, in some culturally important way, similar to each other

Homogamy is marriage between individuals who are, in some culturally important way, similar to each other. Homogamy may be based on socioeconomic status, class, gender, ethnicity, or religion, or age in the case of the so-called age homogamy. It is a form of assortative mating.

It can also refer to the socialization customs of a particular group; such that people who are similar in religion, class, gender, or culture tend to socialize with one another.

Homogamy has been suggested as a term for same-sex marriage or other union, and heterogamy as a term for marriage or union between people of different sexes.

Homogamy is used in biology in three separate senses:

• Inbreeding can be referred to as homogamy.
• Homogamy refers to the maturation of male and female reproductive organs at the same time, which is also known as simultaneous or synchronous hermaphrodism and is the antonym of dichogamy. Many flowers appear to be homogamous but some of these may not be strictly functionally homogamous, because for various reasons male and female reproduction do not completely overlap.
• In the daisy family, the flower heads are made up of many small flowers called florets, and are either homogamous or heterogamous. Heterogamous heads are made up of two types of florets, ray florets near the edge and disk florets in the center. Homogamous heads are made up of just one type of floret, either all ray florets or all disk florets.