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
mongrel
adjectiveExplore M-W
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
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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?
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
First Known Use: 15th century
Other Genetics Terms
MONGREL Defined for English Language Learners
mongrel
playDefinition of mongrel for English Language Learners
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: a dog with parents of different breeds
MONGREL Defined for Kids
Definition of mongrel for Students
: an animal of mixed or uncertain origin
Definition of mongrel for Students
: of mixed or uncertain origin a mongrel dog
Learn More about mongrel
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mongrel Spanish Central: Translation of mongrel Nglish: Translation of mongrel for Spanish speakers
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