# Is "homo" an acceptable abbreviation for anything anymore? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 20, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854 "2013-02-20T03:19:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854/21 "2013-02-20T18:16:22Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Since, “homogeneous” is a bit tedious to write out every time you want to call the function, I was going to shorten it to “homo” and prefix the homogeneous functions with it. I ended up erring on the side of “homog” for now, You should use the full word. What are you going to do when you have something that you want to call ‘homogeneric’ or ‘homogaussian’ or ‘homog-something else’? ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854/22 "2013-02-20T18:31:26Z")
In genetics, “homozygote” can be abbreviated “homo”, but it’s not very common. However, “heterozygote” is almost always abbreviated to “het” while speaking. This is only for verbal communication however, since there’s usually little reason to use either “homozygote” or “heterozygote” in writing (that’s specified by the genotype). I suppose “homo” is avoided because of the baggage and awkwardness it carries. But we use all sorts of other terminology that would be almost obscene out of context: “virgin collections”, “multiple vulva mutant”, etc. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854/23 "2013-02-20T18:33:48Z")
Oh, usage of the word “homo” is also allowable if you are responding to someone who asked the question “Are we not men?” Especially if it’s a bizarre evolutionary treatise. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854/24 "2013-02-20T18:34:06Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > You should use the full word. What are you going to do when you have something that you want to call ‘homogeneric’ or ‘homogaussian’ or ‘homog-something else’? Typical practice is you abbreviate the common one and spell out the others (or at least spell them out further). Homogeneous would be, by far, the most commonly used one. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854/25 "2013-02-20T18:40:21Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > _Homo habilis_. No capital letter and italicized, if you please. 😉 Lower case and italicized in binomials, certainly but by itself and at the start of a sentence? ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854/26 "2013-02-20T19:09:18Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Don’t forget, our homo milk comes in bags! I was I think 12 or so when the switch to bags occurred. Thus prompting one of the most memorable adolescent giggling sessions I ever had, when a friend announced with a straight face: “Look, our homo milk now comes in bags. We used to get milk in jugs!” ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854/27 "2013-02-21T22:37:19Z")
It’s an offensive and outdated term for a demographic group that has plenty of other problems to deal with too. Why use it, when it’s so easy not to? And, why joke about it, folks? That might be more hurtful than the technical usage the OP is wondering about, which at least is not trying to be at the expense of somebody else. You’re probably hurting a few people’s feelings when they’ve already been hurt quite enough. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854/28 "2013-02-22T00:51:42Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > It’s an offensive and outdated term for a demographic group that has plenty of other problems to deal with too. Why use it, when it’s so easy not to? I’m not sure it’s that outdated. I’ve heard gay guys refer to other gay guys as “homos” in conversation. Example: “Did you hear about Joe? That homo just got a promotion to regional manager!” It throws me everytime, but what are you going to do? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854/29 "2013-02-22T00:59:06Z")
chemistry is loaded with homos [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-homo-an-acceptable-abbreviation-for-anything-anymore/650854.md?page=1)