mongrel

noun mon·grel \ ˈmäŋ-grəl , ˈməŋ- \

|Updated on: 7 Jul 2018

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

See mongrel defined for English-language learners

See mongrel defined for kids

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

What do the words politicaster, mongrel, and braggart have in common?

— melissa mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, "When good words turn bad," 28 June 2018
This team is perhaps not quite so fluid, or quite suffocating in its possession, but Costa gives it a sense of mongrel Vicente Del Bosque’s sides at times lacked.

— jonathan wilson, SI.com, "Spain Stable but Still Finding Footing at World Cup Under Band-Aid Manager Hierro," 20 June 2018
There's a hint of mongrel romance between Chief and a posh show dog named Nutmeg (Scarlett Johansson), and prescient visions courtesy of a TV-addicted pooch named Oracle (Tilda Swinton).

— justin chang, latimes.com, "Wes Anderson's 'Isle of Dogs' is often captivating, but cultural sensitivity gets lost in translation," 21 Mar. 2018
In an entertainment world more cacophonous than a kennel, bringing back such an exceedingly wholesome creature is a kind of a test: Can the humble, wordless tricks of a mongrel born and bred in the '70s still charm young viewers?

— jake coyle, chicagotribune.com, "In reboot for Netflix, 'Benji' is still a good boy," 14 Mar. 2018
The last and extreme sign of a mongrel identity under constant transformation.

— karina hoshikawa, Teen Vogue, "Gucci Show Features Fake Heads and Eyes Milan Fashion Week," 21 Feb. 2018
The center houses about 15 mongrel dogs and seven small packs of timber wolves, with two to three wolves in each pack.

— elizabeth pennisi, Science | AAAS, "Why wolves are better team players than dogs," 16 Oct. 2017
Compared with the thoroughbreds of Watch Hill, the horses running 5 miles up the coast at the Atlantic Beach Park Carousel appear to be a mongrel lot.

— michael tortorello, WSJ, "Rhode Island’s Classic Carousels: A Seaside Tour," 1 Sep. 2017
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

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.

Origin and Etymology of mongrel

Middle English, probably from mong mixture, short for ymong, from Old English gemong crowd — more at among

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

mongrel Synonyms

Other Genetics Terms

chimera, hermaphrodite, plasticity

MONGREL Defined for English Language Learners

mongrel

noun

Definition of mongrel for English Language Learners

: a dog with parents of different breeds

MONGREL Defined for Kids

mongrel

noun mon·grel \ ˈmäŋ-grəl , ˈməŋ- \

Definition of mongrel for Students

: an animal of mixed or uncertain origin

mongrel

adjective

Definition of mongrel for Students

: of mixed or uncertain origin

a mongrel dog

Learn More about mongrel

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mongrel

Definition of mongrel

mongrel

mongrelization

mongrelize

Examples of mongrel in a Sentence

Recent Examples of mongrel from the Web

Origin and Etymology of mongrel

mongrel Synonyms

Synonyms

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MONGREL Defined for English Language Learners

mongrel

Definition of mongrel for English Language Learners

MONGREL Defined for Kids

mongrel

Definition of mongrel for Students

mongrel

Definition of mongrel for Students

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