crossbreed
verb
cross·breed
| \ ˈkrȯs-ˌbrēd
, -ˈbrēd\
, -ˈbrēd\
crossbred\ ˈkrȯs-ˌbred
, -ˈbred
\;
crossbreeding
, -ˈbred
\;
crossbreeding
Definition of crossbreed
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to engage in or undergo hybridization
crossbreed
noun
cross·breed
| \ ˈkrȯs-ˌbrēd
\
\
Definition of crossbreed (Entry 2 of 2)
: hybrid
Keep scrolling for more
Synonyms for crossbreed
Synonyms: Noun
cross, crossbred, hybrid, intercross, mongrel
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of crossbreed in a Sentence
Noun
a Siamese crossbreed who was atypically black, but had the build and voice of a SiameseRecent Examples on the Web: Verb
The Grand Canyon bison are descendants of those introduced to the area in the early 1900s as part of a ranching operation to crossbreed them with cattle. — USA TODAY, "Cat burglar, prison bats, USS Arizona Memorial: News from around our 50 states," 4 Sep. 2019 That should be obvious, given he’s the reigning NBA MVP and is built like someone crossbred an NFL linebacker with a Slinky and gave him Mickey Mouse’s hands. — Jon Tayler, SI.com, "Why Isn't Mookie Betts a Household Name? It's Complicated," 16 July 2019 Right now, men’s fashion is Rico Suave crossbred with Ratso Rizzo. — Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, "Why Are Male Celebrities Dressing Like Such Slobs?," 27 Aug. 2018 Doty and her team first crossbred two poplar species. — Leslie Nemo, Scientific American, "Treating Toxins with Tree Microbes," 1 Nov. 2017 What’s more, current conservation practices could be causing these genetically distinct species to crossbreed with one another, effectively fusing them into a single species. — Katie Langin, Science | AAAS, "Top stories: rival giant telescopes, hefty plants, and the mystery behind ‘gluten sensitivity’," 25 May 2018 What’s more, say the authors, current conservation practices could be causing these genetically distinct species to crossbreed with one another, effectively fusing them into a single species. — Katie Langin, Science | AAAS, "The world’s largest amphibian is being bred to extinction," 21 May 2018 For the uninitiated, heirlooms are typically older varieties that have been reproduced from seed for at least three generations without crossbreeding. — Jeanette Marantos, latimes.com, "If you're only growing one type of tomato this year, it should be this," 7 Apr. 2018 Another approach, taken by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in Queensland, is to crossbreed corals from different places, to create hybrid vigour. — The Economist, "Mass die-offs are driving efforts to create hardier corals," 15 Mar. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Ariel Levy explores the phenomenon of half-wild feline crossbreeds, and Ian Frazier examines the alarming proliferation of feral hogs in the South. — The New Yorker, "Sunday Reading: Strange and Extraordinary Creatures," 4 Aug. 2019 Mitt Romney is heading to the Senate now despite being a crossbreed of a career executive and a Brooks Brothers mannequin. — Sangeeta Singh-kurtz, Quartz at Work, "Women in the US are seen to be as smart as men, but not ready to lead," 22 July 2019 On Game of Thrones, the extinct wolves are played by Northern Inuit dogs (a crossbreed related to huskies and German shepherds that was selectively bred to resemble wolves) and an arctic wolf. — National Geographic, "In Game of Thrones fans’ pursuit of real-life dire wolves, huskies may pay the price," 6 May 2019 The Pacific Provider is an adventure yacht nestled into its own category, some sort of crossbreed between luxury comfort and rugged maritime freewheeling. — Natalie B. Compton, GQ, "The Hottest New Boutique Hotel Is Actually a Yacht," 19 Apr. 2018 The pigs may be crossbreeds, and have never met a bellota in their lives. — The Economist, "Mis-labelled Ibérico ham makes Spanish foodies squeal," 19 Apr. 2018 Specifically, the restaurant uses Rohan duck, a crossbreed created by the company D'Artagnan that includes Pekin and mallard, among others. — Julia Thiel, Chicago Reader, "Food & Drink / Key Ingredient Duck a la Vegemite? Watch chef Brent Balika invent a new classic," 21 Mar. 2018 Albright, the park visitor who was sitting with his three dogs (a Yorkie, a Westie and Pomeranian-poodle crossbreed), said new Alaska and old might not quite have settled their differences, either. — Kirk Johnson, The Seattle Times, "Alaskans fear their identity is fading as the internet shrinks distances," 19 Aug. 2017 Mr. Albright, the park visitor who was sitting with his three dogs (a Yorkie, a Westie and a Pomeranian-poodle crossbreed), said new Alaska and old might not quite have settled their differences, either. — Kirk Johnson, New York Times, "Alaska Warily Eyes Change Bringing Suburbs and Amazon Boxes," 18 Aug. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crossbreed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for crossbreed
crossbreed
verb
English Language Learners Definition of crossbreed
: to make two different kinds of animal breed together
: to mix two kinds of plant to form a new one
See the full definition for crossbreed in the English Language Learners Dictionary
crossbreed
verb
cross·breed
| \ ˈkrȯs-ˌbrēd, -ˈbrēd
\
\
crossbred\ -ˌbred, -ˈbred
\;
crossbreeding
\;
crossbreeding
crossbreed
noun
cross·breed
| \ -ˌbrēd
\
\
Medical Definition of crossbreed (Entry 2 of 2)
: hybrid