Mongrel
/ˈmʌŋ.ɡrəl/noun
A dog of mixed breed, or more broadly, something of mixed origin.
Did you know?Mongrel is first recorded in English in the late 16th century, and its exact origin is uncertain, though it likely developed as a contemptuous word for a mixed-breed dog rather than from any noble root.
Etymological Timeline
Late 16th Century
English
mongrel
“A mixed-breed dog; a cur of uncertain parentage.”
16th Century
English
mong
“To mix or mingle (obsolete or dialectal); possibly the base of the word.”
Middle English
English
monglen / mingle
“To mix together, blend, or stir up.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*mangjaną
“To mix, knead, or work together.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*meǵ-
“To knead, mix, or knead together.”
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