Etymology

cross-fertilize

Today it means: To undergo (or cause to undergo) cross-fertilization. Full definition →

English fertilize ← Middle English cros- ← Old English cros
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-der.?
  2. Proto-Italic*kruks /*krukis
  3. Latincrux
  4. Old Irishcros
  5. Old Norsekross
  6. Old Englishcros
  7. Middle Englishcross
  8. Middle Englishcros-
  9. Englishcross-
  10. Englishfertilize
  11. English todaycross-fertilize

From cross- + fertilize.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.