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Definition of cross-fertilize verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

cross-fertilize

verb
 
/ˌkrɒs ˈfɜːtəlaɪz/
 
/ˌkrɔːs ˈfɜːrtəlaɪz/
(British English also cross-fertilise)
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they cross-fertilize
 
/ˌkrɒs ˈfɜːtəlaɪz/
 
/ˌkrɔːs ˈfɜːrtəlaɪz/
he / she / it cross-fertilizes
 
/ˌkrɒs ˈfɜːtəlaɪzɪz/
 
/ˌkrɔːs ˈfɜːrtəlaɪzɪz/
past simple cross-fertilized
 
/ˌkrɒs ˈfɜːtəlaɪzd/
 
/ˌkrɔːs ˈfɜːrtəlaɪzd/
past participle cross-fertilized
 
/ˌkrɒs ˈfɜːtəlaɪzd/
 
/ˌkrɔːs ˈfɜːrtəlaɪzd/
-ing form cross-fertilizing
 
/ˌkrɒs ˈfɜːtəlaɪzɪŋ/
 
/ˌkrɔːs ˈfɜːrtəlaɪzɪŋ/
jump to other results
  1. cross-fertilize something (biology) to fertilize a plant using pollen from a different plant of the same species
    • Unlike other cereals, rye is cross-fertilized.
  2. cross-fertilize something to help something develop in a useful or positive way by mixing ideas from a different area
    • The study of psychology has recently been widely cross-fertilized by new discoveries in genetics.
See cross-fertilize in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
trait
noun
 
 
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