Hybridization
/ˌhaɪ.brɪ.daɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/noun
The process of combining different species, varieties, breeds, or genetic lines to produce a hybrid.
Did you know?The Latin source hybrida originally referred to the offspring of animals from different kinds, often described as a wild boar crossed with a domestic sow, although the word’s deeper origin remains uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Latin
Latin
hybrida
“An animal or person of mixed parentage; traditionally associated with crossbred offspring”
16th Century
Latin
hybridus
“Mixed or crossbred; the adjectival form related to hybrida”
17th Century
English
hybrid
“A plant or animal produced from parents of different varieties or species”
19th Century
English
hybridize
“To produce a hybrid by crossing different varieties or species”
19th Century
English
hybridization
“The act or process of hybridizing”
Modern English
English
hybridization
“The deliberate or natural combination of distinct genetic lines”