What does intergeneric mean?
Intergeneric is an adjective meaning between different genera, the plural of genus, a taxonomic category above species and below family. The term is used chiefly in biology and horticulture to describe crosses between plants or animals whose parents belong to distinct genera. An intergeneric hybrid may combine features not normally found together and can sometimes display unusual fertility, growth, or resistance to disease. The word is more precise than interspecific: an interspecific cross can involve two species within the same genus, whereas an intergeneric cross necessarily joins different genera. Although intergeneric relationships occur in nature, they are often created deliberately in plant breeding and genetic research. Outside technical writing, the word is uncommon, but it is useful when distinguishing a broad, well-established biological category of hybridization from crosses occurring within a single genus.
adjectiveRelating to or occurring between different genera. In biology, an intergeneric hybrid is an organism produced by crossing members of two distinct genera.
- Relating to, occurring between, or resulting from the crossing of different genera.
- Denoting an organism or process that originates from parents belonging to different genera.
"The botanist was searching for an intergeneric hybrid with a rare combination of traits."
"Intergeneric hybridization occasionally produces plants with unusual combinations of characteristics."
"The geneticist noted that the intergeneric cross was difficult to reproduce consistently."
Some of the garden's most striking hybrids were created by crossing plant genera that normally reproduce with their own kind.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intergeneric come from?
Intergeneric was formed in English from the prefix inter-, meaning “between,” and generic, meaning “relating to a genus or kind.” Both elements have Latin origins: inter comes from Latin inter (“between”), while generic ultimately derives from Latin genus (“kind” or “type”). English cognates from the same ancient root include generic, genus, generous, and genius.
How intergeneric is actually used
This is a specialized biological term, most often encountered in botany, zoology, horticulture, and genetics. It is broader than a description of any cross between two different species, since the parent organisms must belong to different genera.
Easily confused with intergeneric
Intergeneric specifically means between different genera, whereas interspecific means between different species, including species within the same genus.