1
: an offspring of two animals or plants of different subspecies, breeds, varieties, species, or genera
a hybrid of two roses
2
: a person whose background is a blend of two diverse cultures or traditions
3
a
: something heterogeneous in origin or composition : composite
hybrids of complementary DNA and RNA strands
a hybrid of medieval and Renaissance styles
b
: something (such as a power plant, vehicle, or electronic circuit) that has two different types of components performing essentially the same function
drives a hybrid that gets really good mileage
1
: relating to or produced from parents of different species, varieties, or breeds
a hybrid rose
hybrid cattle
2
: having or produced by a combination of two or more distinct elements : marked by heterogeneity in origin, composition, or appearance
… difficulties with normal English are … its hybrid vocabulary and the irregularities of English spelling.—
G. A. Miller
G. A. Millera hybrid style
3
: having two different types of components performing essentially the same function
a hybrid vehicle
Synonyms
Examples of hybrid in a Sentence
Noun
a hybrid of two roses
The band plays a hybrid of jazz and rock.
Adjective
a hybrid rose called "American Beauty" was actually first developed in France
Recent Examples on the Web
Quanta Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
Following the trend of reviving old model names for new cars, Honda is set to bring the Prelude name back with a petrol hybrid powertrain soon.
—Trinity Francis, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Marc Joffe, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
ScanSource remains committed to its hybrid distribution growth strategy, leveraging its ecosystem of partners to drive sustainable, profitable growth.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hybrid 
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Noun
Physicists debated for decades (opens a new tab) whether this bizarre superfluid-solid hybrid could exist.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
Following the trend of reviving old model names for new cars, Honda is set to bring the Prelude name back with a petrol hybrid powertrain soon.
—Trinity Francis, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
While East Bay residents undoubtedly appreciate the agency’s focus on zero emission technologies, pursuing two such options (in addition to hybrid diesel buses) is costly because each requires its own power infrastructure.
—Marc Joffe, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
ScanSource remains committed to its hybrid distribution growth strategy, leveraging its ecosystem of partners to drive sustainable, profitable growth.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hybrid
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Dictionary Entries Near hybrid
Cite this Entry
“Hybrid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hybrid. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
hybrid
noun
hy·brid
ˈhī-brəd 
1
: an offspring of two animals or plants of different races, breeds, varieties, species, or genera
2
: something heterogeneous in origin or composition
artificial hybrids of DNA and RNA
somatic cell hybrids of mouse and human cells
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