heterosis

het·er·o·sis

noun \ˌhe-tə-ˈrō-səs\

Definition of HETEROSIS

: the marked vigor or capacity for growth often exhibited by crossbred animals or plants —called also hybrid vigor

— het·er·ot·ic \-ˈrä-tik\ adjective

Origin of HETEROSIS

New Latin

First Known Use: 1914

Rhymes with HETEROSIS

brucellosis, cyanosis, dermatosis, diagnosis, halitosis, keratosis, psittacosis, scoliosis, silicosis, symbiosis

het·er·o·sis

noun \ˌhet-ə-ˈrō-səs\   (Medical Dictionary)

plural ; het·er·o·ses \-ˌsēz\ (audio pronunciation)

Medical Definition of HETEROSIS

: a marked vigor or capacity for growth that is often shown by crossbred animals or plants—called also hybrid vigor

—het·er·ot·ic \-ˈrät-ik\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

heterosis

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Increase in such characteristics as size, growth rate, fertility, and yield of a hybrid organism over those of its parents. Plant and animal breeders exploit heterosis by mating two different purebred lines that have desirable traits. The first-generation offspring generally show, in greater measure, the desired characteristics of both parents. Since this vigour may decrease if the hybrids are actually mated together, the parental lines must be maintained and crossed for each new crop or group desired.

Variants of HETEROSIS

heterosis or hybrid vigor