CROSS-FERTILIZE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cross-fertilize mean? 

• CROSS-FERTILIZE (verb)
  The verb CROSS-FERTILIZE has 2 senses:

1. undergo cross-fertilization; become fertile

2. cause to undergo cross-fertilization

  Familiarity information: CROSS-FERTILIZE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CROSS-FERTILIZE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they cross-fertilize    ... he / she / it cross-fertilizes   
Past simple: cross-fertilized   
Past participle: cross-fertilized   
-ing form: cross-fertilizing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Undergo cross-fertilization; become fertile

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

cross-fertilise; cross-fertilize

Hypernyms (to "cross-fertilize" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

cross-fertilization (fertilization by the union of male and female gametes from different individual of the same species)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause to undergo cross-fertilization

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

cross-fertilise; cross-fertilize

Context example:

Mendel cross-fertilized different kinds of beans

Hypernyms (to "cross-fertilize" is one way to...):

fecundate; fertilise; fertilize; inseminate (introduce semen into (a female))

Cause:

cross-fertilise; cross-fertilize (undergo cross-fertilization; become fertile)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

cross-fertilization (fertilization by the union of male and female gametes from different individual of the same species)