introgression

noun

in·​tro·​gres·​sion ˌin-trə-ˈgre-shən How to pronounce introgression (audio)
: the entry or introduction of a gene from one gene complex into another (as by hybridization)
introgressant adjective or noun
introgressive adjective

Examples of introgression 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.
Limits of long-term selection against Neandertal introgression Jack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2025 More recently, preliminary work by Taylor’s team has helped reveal the genetics underlying some of the deficits other scientists have observed in hybrids: genes related to metabolism and cognition show especially low rates of introgression. Rebecca Heisman, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024 Intriguingly, many of the hybrids most closely resemble the red shiner—a phenomenon called cryptic introgression. Richard Pallardy, Ars Technica, 30 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

intro- + -gression (as in regression)

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of introgression was in 1938

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Introgression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/introgression. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

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