cross·breed
ˈkrȯs-ˌbrēd 
-ˈbrēd
crossbred
ˈkrȯs-ˌbred
-ˈbred
; crossbreeding
-ˈbred
; crossbreeding
: to engage in or undergo hybridization
cross·breed
ˈkrȯs-ˌbrēd
: hybrid
Examples of crossbreed in a Sentence
Noun
a Siamese crossbreed who was atypically black, but had the build and voice of a Siamese
Recent Examples on the Web
Tommy Tomlinson, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Special Queen 1: A Skunk hybrid created by carefully crossbreeding Skunk with Power Bud.
—Anna Miller, Sacramento Bee, 26 Apr. 2024
In 2015, for instance, scientists created more heat-resistant coral by crossbreeding colonies from different latitudes.
—David Gelles, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a global innovation network, is setting up gene banks and crossbreeding more productive strains from traditional dryland crops like sorghum, millet and pigeon peas.
—Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2023
The wild pigs in Canada are unique because they were originally crossbred by humans to be larger and more cold-hardy than their feral cousins to the south.
—Discover Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023
For years, brand executives have been crossbreeding beloved foods with every manner of consumer products with all the fervor of a lab-ful of mad geneticists.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2024
The two developed a productive partnership, with Dr. Swaminathan crossbreeding the Borlaug strains with other strains from Mexico and Japan.
—Keith Schneider, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023
Along the way the farmers crossbred the table vines with local wild grapevines.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2023
Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
Those that did not fit cleanly into a single breed were classified as a crossbreed.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 2 Feb. 2024
Niranjana Rajalakshmi Stopping the Latest Outbreak Threat: Chronic Wasting Disease
Jim Robbins & KFF Health News
The shorter lifespan of crossbreeds was slightly surprising to Audrey Ruple, a veterinary epidemiologist at Virginia Tech, who was not involved in the new study.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 2 Feb. 2024
That includes a Manila Wagyu roll with F1 Wagyu (a Wagyu beef crossbreed), marinated shiitake mushrooms, tamago, asparagus, and crispy garlic; smoked shima aji nigiri; and baked clay pot glass noodles with Maine lobster, five-spice Berkshire pork belly, jalapeno relish, and garlic chips.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 22 Jan. 2024
Lined with warm fabric and designed to keep water out, the vegan shoes, which are kind of like a boot-and-sneaker crossbreed, sold out almost instantly upon launch the past two seasons, per the brand.
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023
But scientists warn that such crossbreeds are generally evidence of nature going awry under pressures created by humans.
—Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2023
The database currently contains information on more than 70,000 dogs, from over 300 breeds and crossbreeds.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 18 Aug. 2023
Ducks aren’t the only waterfowl that crossbreed.
—Ryan Chelius, Outdoor Life, 1 Mar. 2021
Verb
That’s because recessive genes that could get muted by crossbreeding get amplified instead.
—Tommy Tomlinson, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Special Queen 1: A Skunk hybrid created by carefully crossbreeding Skunk with Power Bud.
—Anna Miller, Sacramento Bee, 26 Apr. 2024
In 2015, for instance, scientists created more heat-resistant coral by crossbreeding colonies from different latitudes.
—David Gelles, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a global innovation network, is setting up gene banks and crossbreeding more productive strains from traditional dryland crops like sorghum, millet and pigeon peas.
—Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2023
The wild pigs in Canada are unique because they were originally crossbred by humans to be larger and more cold-hardy than their feral cousins to the south.
—Discover Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023
For years, brand executives have been crossbreeding beloved foods with every manner of consumer products with all the fervor of a lab-ful of mad geneticists.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2024
The two developed a productive partnership, with Dr. Swaminathan crossbreeding the Borlaug strains with other strains from Mexico and Japan.
—Keith Schneider, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023
Along the way the farmers crossbred the table vines with local wild grapevines.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2023
Noun
Regrettably, there are no gambles in this crossbreed of sports movie and doggy drama that dutifully — and lazily — stays on course from beginning to end.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
Those that did not fit cleanly into a single breed were classified as a crossbreed.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 2 Feb. 2024
Niranjana Rajalakshmi Stopping the Latest Outbreak Threat: Chronic Wasting Disease
Jim Robbins & KFF Health News
The shorter lifespan of crossbreeds was slightly surprising to Audrey Ruple, a veterinary epidemiologist at Virginia Tech, who was not involved in the new study.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 2 Feb. 2024
That includes a Manila Wagyu roll with F1 Wagyu (a Wagyu beef crossbreed), marinated shiitake mushrooms, tamago, asparagus, and crispy garlic; smoked shima aji nigiri; and baked clay pot glass noodles with Maine lobster, five-spice Berkshire pork belly, jalapeno relish, and garlic chips.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 22 Jan. 2024
Lined with warm fabric and designed to keep water out, the vegan shoes, which are kind of like a boot-and-sneaker crossbreed, sold out almost instantly upon launch the past two seasons, per the brand.
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023
But scientists warn that such crossbreeds are generally evidence of nature going awry under pressures created by humans.
—Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2023
The database currently contains information on more than 70,000 dogs, from over 300 breeds and crossbreeds.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 18 Aug. 2023
Ducks aren’t the only waterfowl that crossbreed.
—Ryan Chelius, Outdoor Life, 1 Mar. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crossbreed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near crossbreed
Cite this Entry
“Crossbreed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crossbreed. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
crossbreed
1 of 2 verb
cross·breed
ˈkrȯs-ˌbrēd
-ˈbrēd
: hybridize
especially
: to cross two varieties or breeds of the same species
crossbreed
2 of 2 noun
cross·breed
-ˌbrēd
Medical Definition
crossbreed
1 of 2 verb
cross·breed
ˈkrȯs-ˌbrēd, -ˈbrēd
crossbred
-ˌbred, -ˈbred
; crossbreeding
; crossbreeding
: to engage in or undergo crossing or hybridization
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