mongrel
A dog of mixed breed; any animal or plant resulting from the crossing of different breeds or varieties.
Can sometimes carry a slightly derogatory tone if used outside of animal contexts, but among dog lovers, it is often used affectionately to describe a healthy, unique mixed-breed dog.
Word relationships
- mutt: 'Mutt' is highly informal and colloquial, whereas 'mongrel' is slightly more formal and can be used in biological contexts.
- crossbreed: 'Crossbreed' implies a deliberate mating of two specific breeds, while 'mongrel' usually implies accidental, multi-generational mixing.
- purebred: 'Purebred' refers to an animal whose parents are of the same breed, with a documented lineage.
Commonly confused with
- hybrid: 'Hybrid' is the offspring of two different species (like a mule), while 'mongrel' is the offspring of different breeds within the same species.
Word family
- mongrels (noun): Plural form; multiple mixed-breed dogs.
Collocations
- scruffy mongrel
- lovable mongrel
- mongrel pup
Example sentences
- "Rather than buying an expensive purebred, they chose a lovable mongrel from the local shelter." Adopting a pet from a shelter
- "The hardy mongrel often outlives its pedigree counterparts due to genetic diversity." Reflecting on the health of mixed breeds
Memory hook
Think of a mongrel dog running 'among' ('mong-') many different breeds in the park. Mixed among the breeds
When not to use
Be careful when applying this word to non-animal contexts (like cultures or languages), as it can be perceived as offensive.
Fun facts
- Because of 'hybrid vigor', mongrels are statistically less prone to many genetic health issues than purebred dogs.
Explore more words
crossbreed, hybridity, vagabond, transgenic, hybrid, hybridization
Also appears in
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