mongrel

play

noun mon·grel \ ˈmäŋ-grəl , ˈməŋ- \

Definition of mongrel

1 :an individual resulting from the interbreeding of diverse breeds (see ²breed 1) or strains (see ¹strain 1); especially :one of unknown ancestry

She owns several dogs, one of which is a mongrel.

2 :a cross between types of persons or things

the cinema is … a mongrel of virtually all the other arts
—Gerald Mast

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mongrel

adjective

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mongrelization

play \ˌmäŋ-grə-lə-ˈzā-shən, ˌməŋ-\ noun

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mongrelize

play \ˈmäŋ-grə-ˌlīz, ˈməŋ-\ transitive verb

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Examples of mongrel in a Sentence

She owns several dogs, including a mongrel named Stella.
mongrels often suffer fewer health problems than purebreds

Recent Examples of mongrel from the Web

In a sense, the painting that emerged in the early ’80s was mongrel and illegitimate.

— roberta smith, New York Times, "Painting From the 1980s, When Brash Met Flash," 9 Feb. 2017
Who will buy this mongrel, the poor Alex with its lack of functionality, its short battery life (just six hours with the color screen in use) and its almost-iPad price-tag?

— charlie sorrel, WIRED, "Too Late? $400 Alex E-Reader Now for Pre-Order," 16 Mar. 2010

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mongrel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.