WordGarden.iointerbreed
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˌɪntəbrˈiːd/
US
Meanings
Verb
to breed with, or cause to breed with, a different species, breed, or variety
Beyond the definition
Imagine a farmer who wants bigger, stronger tomatoes. They might interbreed two different kinds of tomato plants to combine their best qualities and create something new. To interbreed means to breed animals or plants from different breeds, types, or closely related species so that they produce young together. People often use the word when talking about farming, gardening, or biology. For example, breeders may do this to get better size, color, strength, or disease resistance.
To interbreed means to reproduce by crossing different breeds, varieties, strains, or sometimes closely related species. The word is used when animals or plants from different groups produce offspring together. This can happen on purpose, such as when farmers or breeders try to combine useful traits, or it can happen naturally in the wild when related groups meet and mate.
In farming and gardening, people may interbreed plants or animals to get a certain result, such as better color, stronger growth, higher yield, or greater resistance to disease. A breeder might interbreed two kinds of roses to create a new flower, or cross two breeds of livestock to produce young with a mix of desirable features. In biology, the word can also describe natural breeding between related populations or species.
The idea behind the word is simple: it is about mixing genetic lines through reproduction. A scientist might interbreed two orchid species to create a hybrid, and two wild cat populations might interbreed where their habitats overlap. The word usually suggests crossing between groups that are different from each other, not breeding within the exact same line.
Examples
- 1
Animals
Wolves and dogs can interbreed.
- 2
Plants
These wildflowers often interbreed with nearby garden varieties.
- 3
Separate groups
The two groups lived apart for so long that they no longer interbreed.
- 4
Animal breeding
Farmers try to stop closely related animals from interbreeding, because it can cause health problems.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Species classification
In that region, the two subspecies interbreed, so many birds are hard to classify.
See also
Similar
- crossbreed
- hybridize
- breed together
Shades of meaning
- outcross
- cross-pollinate
Contrast
- inbreed
- reproduce asexually
Used with (collocations)
- interbreed with
- able to interbreed
- interbreed in the wild
- closely related species interbreed
Word family
Explore
- hybrid
- gene flow
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- interbreedverbadjective
Forms
- interbreeding-ing formverbadjective
- interbredpast tensepast participleverbadjective
- interbreedsverbadjective