What does interbred mean?
Interbred is an uncommon adjective meaning that something has been produced through breeding between different varieties, breeds, populations, or types. It is most common in biological and genetic contexts, where it may describe offspring, populations, organisms, or experimental crosses. The term emphasizes the mixture or crossing of distinct genetic backgrounds and is therefore often contrasted with inbred, which involves breeding among closely related individuals, and purebred, which refers to animals or plants belonging to a single established breed or variety. In general writing, crossbred or hybrid may be more familiar, but interbred is useful when the distinction between separate populations or types is important. Its wording is technical rather than ordinary, and it normally functions as a modifier of a biological noun.
adjectiveBred through the crossing of individuals from different varieties, breeds, populations, or types. The word is chiefly used in biology and genetics.
- Having been bred from different varieties, breeds, populations, or types.
"The study examined the genetic differences between interbred and isolated populations."
"The interbred animals displayed a wider range of traits than the purebred group."
"Researchers used genetic analysis to determine whether the island population was interbred."
Interbred is the genetic opposite of inbred: it describes offspring produced by crossing distinct varieties or populations.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does interbred come from?
The word was formed in English by combining the prefix inter-, meaning between or among, with breed, meaning to produce offspring. It developed as the past tense and past participle of interbreed and was later used adjectivally for organisms or populations resulting from crossbreeding.
Related word forms
How interbred is actually used
This is a relatively uncommon and chiefly technical term, especially in biology, ecology, and genetics. It is more precise than the broader word crossbred when describing the crossing of distinct populations or types.
Easily confused with interbred
Interbred refers to individuals or populations bred from different varieties or populations, whereas inbred refers to breeding among closely related individuals.