Synonyms

interbreed

American

[in-ter-breed] / ˌɪn tərˈbrid /

verb (used with object)

interbred, interbreeding

to crossbreed (a plant or animal).
to cause to breed together.

verb (used without object)

interbred, interbreeding

to crossbreed.
to breed or mate with a closely related individual, as in a small, closed population.

interbreed British

/ ˌɪntəˈbriːd /

verb

(intr) to breed within a single family or strain so as to produce particular characteristics in the offspring
another term for crossbreed

"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

Etymology

Origin of interbreed

First recorded in 1855–60; inter- + breed

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They said that could lead to the wildcats breeding with feral domestic cats, with such interbreeding – also known as hybridisation - undermining the whole idea of bringing back the species.

From BBC

The earlier timeline means that the three species of humans co-existed on the planet for around 800,000 years, much longer than previously thought, perhaps interacting and interbreeding in that time.

From BBC

Barred owls and spotted owls are similar in appearance and can even interbreed.

From Los Angeles Times

Barred owls and spotted owls are similar in appearance and the birds can even interbreed.

From Los Angeles Times

"Over time we are going to have this entire lineage of cold adapted elephants that we can put back into the wild that can interbreed"

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023