interbreeding

B2 Topic:Science & Research

US /ˌɪntɚˈbriːdɪŋ/ UK /ˌɪntəˈbriːdɪŋ/ See IPA manual

Freq #68909

Meanings

1

noun
reproduction between animals or plants from different populations, breeds, varieties, or closely related species

Interbreeding between the two wolf populations introduced new genetic variation.
2

noun
reproduction among members of a population, especially as evidence that they belong to the same species

Regular interbreeding allows genes to circulate throughout the population.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · reproduction between... crossbreedingcrossing hybridization

2 noun · reproduction among members... mating breeding

Opposites

reproductive isolation

Word family

Derived forms interbreed

Related forms gene flowhybridintrogressioninbreeding

Etymology

From inter- ('between' or 'among') + breeding, the verbal noun of breed. In biology, the term describes reproduction across groups or among members of a population. Its meaning depends on which groups are being contrasted; it is not a synonym for inbreeding, which concerns reproduction among close relatives.

Topics

Science & Research

External links

# interbreeding

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪntɚˈbriːdɪŋ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪntəˈbriːdɪŋ/
**Frequency rank:** 68909

## Meanings
1. reproduction between animals or plants from different populations, breeds, varieties, or closely related species
2. reproduction among members of a population, especially as evidence that they belong to the same species

## Examples
- Interbreeding between the two wolf populations introduced new genetic variation.
- Regular interbreeding allows genes to circulate throughout the population.

## Synonyms
- crossbreeding
- crossing
- hybridization
- mating

## Antonyms
- reproductive isolation

## Derived Forms
- interbreed

## Related Forms
- gene flow
- hybrid
- introgression
- inbreeding

## Etymology
From inter- ('between' or 'among') + breeding, the verbal noun of breed. In biology, the term describes reproduction across groups or among members of a population. Its meaning depends on which groups are being contrasted; it is not a synonym for inbreeding, which concerns reproduction among close relatives.

## Topics
- Science & Research

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