English Reference
Noun

hybridization

n.
C1 Advanced US /ˌhaɪbɹədəˈzeɪʃən/ hy·bridiza·tion UK spelling hybridizations Biology Botany Chemistry

n.the process of combining two different types of plants or animals to create a new variety. It can also mean mixing two different chemical substances to make a new one.

n.the process of interbreeding between two different species or varieties to produce offspring with traits from both parents. In chemistry, it refers to the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals with different energies and shapes.


SIMPLE

The hybridization of these two flowers produces a more colorful bloom.

CONTEXTUAL

Scientists used hybridization to develop a new strain of wheat that is resistant to both drought and disease.

COMPLEX

The hybridization of the two chemical compounds resulted in a more stable molecule with significantly higher reactivity under high-pressure conditions.

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the ancestors of northern populations interbred with another species of shiner, leaving behind a genetic signature of ancient hybridization that survives today, but only in certain drainages.

The Conversation· 24 Aug 2026

In addition, in hybridizations between closely related groups, males are often biologically more fragile , with greater problems of survival or fertility.

ScienceDaily· 7 Jul 2026

* hybrid + -ization

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated