cross-pollination

American

[kraws-pol-uh-ney-shuhn, kros-] / ˈkrɔsˌpɒl əˈneɪ ʃən, ˈkrɒs- /

noun

Botany. the transfer of pollen from the flower of one plant to the flower of a plant having a different genetic constitution.
a sharing or interchange of knowledge, ideas, etc., as for mutual enrichment; cross-fertilization.

cross-pollination British

noun

the transfer of pollen from the anthers of one flower to the stigma of another flower by the action of wind, insects, etc Compare self-pollination

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cross-pollination Scientific

The transfer of pollen from the male reproductive organ (an anther or a male cone) of one plant to the female reproductive organ (a stigma or a female cone) of another plant. Insects and wind are the main agents of cross-pollination. Most plants reproduce by cross-pollination, which increases the genetic diversity of a population (increases the number of heterozygous individuals). Mechanisms that promote cross-pollination include having male flowers on one plant and female flowers on another, having pollen mature before the stigmas on the same plant are chemically receptive to being pollinated, and having anatomical arrangements (such as stigmas that are taller than anthers) that make self-pollination less likely.

Etymology

Origin of cross-pollination

First recorded in 1880–85

Compare meaning

How does cross-pollination compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

self-pollination vs. cross-pollination

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“We expect more cross-pollination between Tesla and SpaceX over the coming year, which is bullish for the Tesla story,” he said in a recent note to investors.

From MarketWatch

The two sports have a history of cross-pollination.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We expect more cross-pollination between Tesla and SpaceX over the coming year, which is bullish for the Tesla story in our view.”

From Barron's

“We expect more cross-pollination between Tesla and SpaceX over the coming year, which is bullish for the Tesla story,” Ives added.

From MarketWatch

The cross-pollination among this group is a recurring theme in the show.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023