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cross-fertilization

[kraws-fur-tl-uh-zey-shuh n, kros-]
noun
  1. Biology. the fertilization of an organism by the fusion of an egg from one individual with a sperm or male gamete from a different individual.
  2. Botany. fertilization of the flower of one plant by a gamete from the flower of a closely related plant (opposed to self-fertilization).
  3. (not in technical use) cross-pollination.
  4. interaction or interchange, as between two or more cultures, fields of activity or knowledge, or the like, that is mutually beneficial and productive: a cross-fertilization of scientific and technical disciplines.

Origin of cross-fertilization

First recorded in 1875–80
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

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British Dictionary definitions for cross-fertilization

cross-fertilization

noun
  1. fertilization by the fusion of male and female gametes from different individuals of the same speciesCompare self-fertilization
Derived Formscross-fertile, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
cross-fertilization in Science

cross-fertilization

  1. The fertilization that occurs when the nucleus of a male sex cell from one individual joins with the nucleus of a female sex cell from another individual. In plants, cross-pollination is an example of cross-fertilization. Also called allogamy Compare self-fertilization.
Related formscross-fertilize verb
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
cross-fertilization in Culture

cross-fertilization

The fertilization of the ovum of one plant by the sperm of another plant.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.