cross-pollination

noun

Fertilization by the transfer of pollen from an anther of one plant to a stigma of another.

Opposite
self-pollination
OriginEnglish pollination ← Middle English cros- ← Old English cros →
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Meanings

nouncross-pollination (countable and uncountable, plural cross-pollinations)

plural cross-pollinations · alternative crosspollination

  1. countableuncountablebiologyFertilization by the transfer of pollen from an anther of one plant to a stigma of another.
  2. countablefigurativelyuncountableInspiration, stimulation, or influence between diverse elements.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounfertilization by transfer of pollen from the anthers of one flower to the stigma of another

Opposite
self-pollination
Broader
pollinationpollenation

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  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. Englishpollination
  11. Englishcross-pollination

From cross- + pollination.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish krydsbestøvning, allogami
  • krydsbestøvningfertilization
  • allogamifertilization
Dutch kruisbestuiving, kruisbestuiving
  • kruisbestuivingfertilization
  • kruisbestuivinginspiration
Finnish ristipölytys
  • ristipölytysfertilization
Hindi परपरागण
  • परपरागण (paraprāgaṇ)fertilization
Hungarian keresztbeporzás
  • keresztbeporzásfertilization
Icelandic aðfrævun
  • aðfrævunfertilization
Irish crosphailniú, crosphailniú
  • crosphailniúfertilization
  • crosphailniúinspiration
  • cóimheascadhinspiration
Māori haenga whakawhiti, whakawhitianga hae
  • haenga whakawhitifertilization
  • whakawhitianga haefertilization
Norwegian Bokmål krysspollinering, allogami
  • krysspollineringfertilization
  • allogamifertilization
Swedish korspollination, allogami
  • korspollinationfertilization
  • allogamifertilization
Tagalog tawidsapunlatil
  • tawidsapunlatilfertilization
Ukrainian перехре́сне запи́лення
  • перехре́сне запи́лення (perexrésne zapýlennja)fertilization
Cite this entry
APA

cross-pollination. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross-pollination

MLA

“cross-pollination.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross-pollination. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cross-pollination,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross-pollination.

Source: cross-pollination on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.