Main Entry: het·er·o·sis

Pronunciation: \ˌhet-ə-ˈrō-səs\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural het·er·o·ses \-ˌsēz\

: 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\ adjective