Meaning & use
hybrid
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Meanings
nouncountable
An animal or plant produced by breeding two different species, varieties, or breeds.
Grammar: Countable: a hybrid, two hybrids. Often followed by 'of' or 'between'.
Patterns
- a hybrid of something
- a hybrid between something and something
A mule is a hybrid of a horse and a donkey.
This rose is a hybrid between two wild species.
The lab created a hybrid that could survive in colder climates.
nouncountable
Something that combines two different things, such as a vehicle using two power sources or a mix of work styles.
Grammar: Countable: a hybrid, hybrids. Often used before another noun: hybrid car.
Patterns
- a hybrid of something
- a hybrid car
- a hybrid working model
She drives a hybrid that uses both petrol and electricity.
The company adopted a hybrid of office and remote work.
Their new phone is a hybrid of a tablet and a smartphone.
adjectivebefore a noun
Combining two different types, elements, or approaches into one.
Grammar: Used before a noun: hybrid system, hybrid approach. Not usually after a verb.
Patterns
- hybrid system
- hybrid approach
- hybrid model
The school uses a hybrid teaching model with online and in-person classes.
They designed a hybrid engine that saves fuel.
Her writing style is a hybrid form of poetry and prose.
Word forms
| plural | hybrids |
|---|
Common combinations
- hybrid car
- He bought a hybrid car to reduce his carbon footprint.
- hybrid working
- Hybrid working lets employees split their week between home and office.
- hybrid species
- The hybrid species was stronger than either parent plant.
- hybrid approach
- We need a hybrid approach that combines old and new methods.
Synonyms and how they differ
- crossbreed
- Similar for animals or plants, but crossbreed is more common in farming and breeding contexts, while hybrid is also used for things like cars and work models.
- mixture
- Use mixture for a combination of things in general, but mixture does not suggest the two parts are from different species or types as strongly as hybrid does.
Opposites
Word family
- hybridize verb
- To produce hybrids by breeding different species or varieties.
- hybridization noun
- The process of creating a hybrid.
Commonly confused: hybrid or crossbreed?
hybrid vs crossbreed
Crossbreed is a noun or verb meaning to breed two different breeds, usually of the same species; hybrid is broader and can refer to non-living things like cars.
Practice
The new bus is a ______ of a traditional bus and a train, running on both roads and rails.
Choose one answer.
The sentence needs a noun meaning 'a combination of two things', which is 'hybrid'. 'Hybridize' is a verb, 'hybridization' is the process, and 'hybridly' is not a word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hybrid”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.