Etymology

outcross

O1U1T1C3R1O1S1S1

Today it means: The introduction of unrelated breeding stock to an existing population, especially one which is inbred or homogeneous. Full definition →

First used 19th c.English cross ← Middle English cross ← Old English cros
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úd
  2. Proto-Germanic*ūt
  3. Proto-Germanic*ūt-
  4. Old Englishūt-
  5. Middle Englishut-
  6. Englishout-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-der.?
  8. Proto-Italic*kruks /*krukis
  9. Latincrux
  10. Old Irishcros
  11. Old Norsekross
  12. Old Englishcros
  13. Middle Englishcross
  14. Englishcross
  15. English todayoutcross

From out- + cross.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 19th c. The introduction of unrelated breeding stock to an existing population, especially one which is inbred or homogeneous.
  • from 20th c. A plant or animal produced by such methods.
  • from 20th c. to crossbreed different strains of a plant or animal.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.