hybrid

American  

[hahy-brid] / ˈhaɪ brɪd /

noun

1. the offspring of two animals or plants of different breeds, varieties, species, or genera, especially as produced through human manipulation for specific genetic characteristics.

2. a person or group of persons produced by the interaction or crossbreeding of two unlike cultures, traditions, etc.

3. anything derived from heterogeneous sources, or composed of elements of different or incongruous kinds.

   a hybrid of the academic and business worlds.

4. a word composed of elements originally drawn from different languages, as television, whose components come from Greek and Latin.

5. 1. something that is powered by more than one source of power.

      a wind-solar hybrid to generate electricity.

   2. a car or other vehicle that combines an internal-combustion engine with one or more electric motors powered by a battery.

      She says she's proud to be driving a hybrid.

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adjective

1. bred from two distinct breeds, varieties, species, or genera.

   Antonyms:

   thoroughbred, purebred

2. composite; formed or composed of heterogeneous elements.

3. composed of elements originally drawn from different languages, as a word.

4. powered by more than one source of power.

   It is hoped that hybrid buses will reduce urban air pollution.

hybrid British  

/ ˈhaɪbrɪd /

noun

1. an animal or plant resulting from a cross between genetically unlike individuals. Hybrids between different species are usually sterile

2. anything of mixed ancestry

3. a vehicle that is powered by an internal-combustion engine and another source of power such as a battery

4. a word, part of which is derived from one language and part from another, such as monolingual, which has a prefix of Greek origin and a root of Latin origin

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adjective

1. (of a vehicle) powered by more than one source

2. denoting or being a hybrid; of mixed origin

3. physics (of an electromagnetic wave) having components of both electric and magnetic field vectors in the direction of propagation

4. electronics

   1. (of a circuit) consisting of transistors and valves

   2. (of an integrated circuit) consisting of one or more fully integrated circuits and other components, attached to a ceramic substrate Compare monolithic

hybrid Scientific  

/ hī′brĭd /

1. An organism that is the offspring of two parents that differ in one or more inheritable characteristics, especially the offspring of two different varieties of the same species or the offspring of two parents belonging to different species. In agriculture and animal husbandry, hybrids of different varieties and species are bred in order to combine the favorable characteristics of the parents. Hybrids often display hybrid vigor. The mule, which is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse, is an example of a hybrid. It is strong for its size and has better endurance and a longer useful lifespan than its parents. However, mules are sterile, as are many animals that are hybrids between two species.

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Related Words

Hybrid, mongrel refer to animals or plants of mixed origin. Hybrid is the scientific term: hybrid corn; a hybrid variety of sheep. Mongrel, used originally of dogs to denote the offspring of crossings of different breeds, is now extended to other animals and to plants; it is usually deprecatory, as denoting mixed, nondescript, or degenerate breed or character: a mongrel pup.

Other Word Forms

• hybridism noun
• hybridity noun

Etymology

Origin of hybrid

First recorded in 1595–1605, hybrid is from the Latin word hybrida, hibrida “a crossbred animal”

Explanation

A hybrid is a mixture of two different things, resulting in something that has a little bit of both — like the rare zedonk, a hybrid of a donkey and a zebra. The word hybrid gets thrown around often these days — ever heard of hybrid cars that run on both electricity and fuel? Or hybrid films that are half animation, half live action? But hybrid is really most at home in the realm of genetics and crossbreeding. It actually comes to us from the Latin hybrida, meaning the offspring of two dissimilar animals, specifically a tame sow and a wild boar.

Example Sentences

The inquiry heard how the prosecution had hoped to obtain a hybrid order for Calocane, whereby an offender can be transferred to prison after hospital treatment.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Aside from their ability to form stable hybrid organic-inorganic crystals, they initially attracted little attention and were largely set aside after basic characterization.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

Marjorie Radlo-Zandi, an angel investor in Boston, found that her Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid was the perfect blend of EV and gasoline vehicle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Right now, most firms are operating in a hybrid state — using AI alongside existing processes rather than replacing them.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

The first crop planted from hybrid corn seed will all be identical.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Related Words

• amalgam
• combination