hybrid

1 of 2

noun

hy·​brid ˈhī-brəd 

1

: an offspring of two animals or plants of different subspecies, breeds, varieties, species, or genera

a hybrid of two roses

2

: a person whose background is a blend of two diverse cultures or traditions

3

a

: something heterogeneous in origin or composition : composite

hybrids of complementary DNA and RNA strands

a hybrid of medieval and Renaissance styles

b

: something (such as a power plant, vehicle, or electronic circuit) that has two different types of components performing essentially the same function

drives a hybrid that gets really good mileage

hybridism

ˈhī-brə-ˌdi-zəm 

noun

hybridity

hī-ˈbri-də-tē 

noun

hybrid

2 of 2

adjective

1

: relating to or produced from parents of different species, varieties, or breeds

a hybrid rose

hybrid cattle

2

: having or produced by a combination of two or more distinct elements : marked by heterogeneity in origin, composition, or appearance

… difficulties with normal English are … its hybrid vocabulary and the irregularities of English spelling.

—G. A. Miller

a hybrid style

3

: having two different types of components performing essentially the same function

a hybrid vehicle

Synonyms of hybrid

Noun

• cross
• crossbreed

Adjective

• mixed
• cross
• hybridized

Examples of hybrid in a Sentence

Noun

a hybrid of two roses

The band plays a hybrid of jazz and rock.

Adjective

a hybrid rose called "American Beauty" was actually first developed in France

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The hybrid-electric vertical-takeoff aircraft is intended to extend the range, payload and survivability of attack aviation while reducing the risk to human crews. — Alex Krutz, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

For the uninitiated, Gaelic football is a hybrid of soccer, rugby and basketball, governed by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Adjective

Demand for the now hybrid-only compact SUV is so high that Toyota’s three plants building the RAV4 haven’t been able to keep up, as Car and Driver spells out. — Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

The decision marks another significant step towards the development of next-generation hybrid-electric commercial aircraft. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin hybrida

First Known Use

Noun

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1645, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing hybrid

• hybrid computer
• hybrid tea rose
• hybrid vigor

Kids Definition

hybrid

noun

hy·​brid ˈhī-brəd 

1

: an offspring of two animals or plants of different subspecies, breeds, varieties, species, or genera

2

: a person whose background is a blend of two diverse cultures or traditions

3

: something having or produced by a combination or two or more distinct elements

4

: something having two different types of components performing essentially the same function

a hybrid vehicle

hybrid adjective

Medical Definition

hybrid

noun

hy·​brid ˈhī-brəd 

1

: an offspring of two animals or plants of different races, breeds, varieties, species, or genera

2

: something heterogeneous in origin or composition

artificial hybrids of DNA and RNA

somatic cell hybrids of mouse and human cells

hybrid adjective

hybridism

-brə-ˌdiz-əm 

noun

hybridity

hī-ˈbrid-ət-ē 

noun

plural hybridities

Legal Definition

hybrid

adjective

hy·​brid

ˈhī-brid

: consisting of diverse components: as

a

: of, relating to, or being a lawsuit brought by an employee under the Labor Management Relations Act against both the employer for breach of contract and the union for breach of the duty of fair representation

b

: of, relating to, or being representation of a criminal defendant in which the defendant represents himself or herself with the assistance of a lawyer