outcrossed
|out-crossed|
🇺🇸
/ˈaʊtkrɔs/
🇬🇧
/ˈaʊtkɒs/
(outcross)
crossing with outside/unrelated individuals
Etymology
'outcross' originates from English, formed by the prefix 'out-' + the verb 'cross'.
'outcross' is a modern compound created in English by attaching the productive prefix 'out-' to 'cross' (the verb/noun 'cross' stems from Old English cros and Old Norse kross, ultimately from Latin 'crux').
Initially it meant simply 'to cross with an outside individual,' and it has retained that specific breeding-related meaning in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past tense or past participle form of 'outcross'.
The experimental line was outcrossed to reduce the effects of inbreeding.
Adjective 1
having been bred by outcrossing; mated with unrelated individuals (used of animals or plants to indicate reduced inbreeding and increased genetic diversity).
The outcrossed population showed greater resistance to disease than the inbred lines.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/24 17:56