cross-fertilize

Thân thiện

The gardener cross-fertilizes the two types of roses.

Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To cause (a plant or animal) to undergo cross-fertilization; to fertilize by the union of gametes from different individuals of the same or different species.
2. Verb (intransitive):
   • (Of a plant or animal) to undergo cross-fertilization; to become fertile through this process.

Usage and Examples

• Transitive verb:
  • Botanists often cross-fertilize plants to develop new hybrids with desirable traits.
  • The farmer cross-fertilized the apple trees to improve fruit yield.
• Intransitive verb:
  • Many flowering plants are designed to cross-fertilize easily with the help of insects.
  • These two varieties can cross-fertilize if planted near each other.

Advanced Usage

• Figurative/Abstract Use: The term is used metaphorically to describe the enriching exchange of ideas or methods between different fields, groups, or cultures.
  • The conference aimed to cross-fertilize ideas between software engineers and graphic designers.
  • Collaboration between the two departments allowed their research to cross-fertilize, leading to innovative solutions.

Variants and Related Words

• Cross-fertilization (noun): The process or result of cross-fertilizing.
  • The cross-fertilization of ideas led to a breakthrough.
• Cross-fertilized (adjective): Describing something that has undergone cross-fertilization.
  • The cross-fertilized seeds produced a unique flower.
• Cross-pollinate (verb): A closely related term, specifically referring to the transfer of pollen for plant fertilization. Often used interchangeably in figurative contexts.

Synonyms

• Hybridize (especially in biological contexts)
• Crossbreed
• Interbreed
• Cross-pollinate (for plants)

Antonyms

• Self-fertilize
• Self-pollinate
• Inbreed (with a negative connotation)

Related Phrases and Idioms

• A cross-fertilization of ideas: A common phrase describing the productive mixing of concepts from different sources.
  • The project benefited from a cross-fertilization of ideas from science and art.

Học thuật

Verb

1. cause to undergo cross-fertilization
   • Mendel cross-fertilized different kinds of beans
2. undergo cross-fertilization; become fertile

Từ đồng nghĩa

• cross-fertilise