interbreed

verb

in·​ter·​breed ˌin-tər-ˈbrēd How to pronounce interbreed (audio)
interbred ˌin-tər-ˈbred How to pronounce interbreed (audio) ; interbreeding

intransitive verb

: to breed together: such as
b
: to breed within a closed population

transitive verb

: to cause to breed together

Examples of interbreed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yunxian 2 provides a clearer example of an earlier lineage, suggesting that several major human lineages—Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, and sister species like Homo longi—may have co-existed for hundreds of thousands of years, interacting and potentially interbreeding. Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025 Neanderthals, archaic humans who lived in Europe and Central Asia before disappearing around 40,000 years ago, are known to have lived alongside the Denisovans and interbred with them. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025 So a team of researchers analyzed genetic data from nearly 5,000 individuals living in the last few decades, spanning every inhabited continent, and identified 126 cases where those individuals’ ancestry indicated interbreeding between two distinct populations at some point in the past. Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2025 Scientists say the interbreeding event occurred some 9 million years ago, which happened to be excellent timing for the potato. Ari Daniel, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for interbreed

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of interbreed was in 1859

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interbreed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interbreed. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

interbreed

verb
in·​ter·​breed ˌint-ər-ˈbrēd How to pronounce interbreed (audio)
interbred -ˈbred How to pronounce interbreed (audio) ; interbreeding
: to breed or cause to breed together: as
b
: to breed within a population

Medical Definition

interbreed

verb
in·​ter·​breed ˌint-ər-ˈbrēd How to pronounce interbreed (audio)
interbred -ˈbred How to pronounce interbreed (audio) ; interbreeding

intransitive verb

: to breed together: as
b
: to breed within a closed population

transitive verb

: to cause to breed together

More from Merriam-Webster on interbreed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!