hybrid

hybrid — noun

1. a vehicle that runs on both petrol and electric power, switching between or comb

1.nounB1
Definition

a vehicle that runs on both petrol and electric power, switching between or combining the two to use less fuel and produce fewer emissions

Example

Felipe drives a hybrid that uses half the fuel of his old car.

drive + a hybrid; fuel efficiency comparison

Taxi drivers in Tokyo are switching to the Toyota Prius hybrid to cut fuel costs.

Common collocations
  • hybrid car
  • hybrid vehicle
  • hybrid technology
  • drive a hybrid
  • buy a hybrid
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

drive/own/buy + a hybrid

Usage Note

Often shortened to just 'a hybrid' in informal speech. Distinguish from 'electric vehicle' (EV), which runs solely on battery power.

Common Mistakes

My hybrid only uses electricity, no petrol at all.
My hybrid switches between petrol and electricity.
hybrids still have a petrol engine; they don't run solely on electricity.

2. a living organism created by crossbreeding two distinct species, varieties, or b

2.nounB1
Definition

a living organism created by crossbreeding two distinct species, varieties, or breeds, typically to improve qualities such as strength, size, or resistance to disease

Example

Pim's farm grows a hybrid of wheat and rye that resists disease.

hybrid + of + two species; crossbreeding for disease resistance

The liger, a hybrid of a lion and a tiger, rarely appears in the wild.

Common collocations
  • hybrid seed
  • hybrid strain
  • hybrid offspring
  • hybrid variety
  • hybrid breeding
Synonyms
  • crossbreed

    more specific to intentional breeding; less common in everyday speech

  • mongrel

    used only for dogs; carries a slightly negative tone

  • offspring

    general term for any young; does not imply mixed parentage

Antonyms
  • purebred

    an animal from parents of the same breed or variety

Grammar Patterns

hybrid + of + [species/breed]

Usage Note

Often used in agriculture and horticulture. The hybrid offspring may be sterile — a liger, for example, cannot produce its own young.

Common Mistakes

The mule is a mix of a donkey and a horse.
The mule is a hybrid of a donkey and a horse.
'hybrid' is the precise term for crossbreeding, while 'mix' sounds informal and unscientific.

3. something formed by blending two very different elements, styles, or traditions

3.nounB2
Definition

something formed by blending two very different elements, styles, or traditions into a single thing

Example

Björk's album Homogenic is a hybrid of orchestral strings and electronic beats.

hybrid + of + [style A] + and + [style B]

The building is a hybrid of modern glass and traditional brick.

Common collocations
  • hybrid of
  • musical hybrid
  • cultural hybrid
  • architectural hybrid
Synonyms
  • blend

    suggests a smoother, more uniform mixture than hybrid

  • combination

    the most general term; less implication of crossing distinct categories

  • fusion

    often used for cooking and music; implies a seamless new creation

Antonyms
  • pure form

    something unmixed and true to one source

Grammar Patterns

hybrid + of + [noun] + and + [noun]

Usage Note

Subject often carries the descriptor 'a hybrid of X and Y' where X and Y are contrasting categories. Common in reviews and cultural commentary.

Common Mistakes

The restaurant is a hybrid between Chinese food.
The restaurant serves a hybrid of Chinese and Italian food.
a hybrid requires two identifiable sources, not one.

4. a bicycle that combines features of a road bike and a mountain bike, making it s

4.nounB2
Definition

a bicycle that combines features of a road bike and a mountain bike, making it suitable for both paved roads and off-road trails

Example

Tunde rides a hybrid to work because it handles both roads and park paths well.

ride + a hybrid; dual-purpose use

Min-ji bought a hybrid bicycle after moving to a town with paved roads and gravel paths.

Common collocations
  • hybrid bike
  • hybrid bicycle
  • ride a hybrid
  • hybrid model
Synonyms
  • cross bike

    less common term for the same bicycle category

  • commuter bike

    overlapping category focused on city travel, not trail use

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

ride/own/buy + a hybrid

Usage Note

Hybrid bikes have flat handlebars, medium-width tyres, and a comfortable upright riding position. They are often recommended for casual commuters.

hybrid — adjective

Word family

  • hybridize
    verbC1
  • hybridization
    nounC1
  • hybridity
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

All four words describe something made from multiple parts, but each brings a different shade. 'Blend' suggests a smooth, even mixing where the original ingredients become hard to separate — think of a blend of teas. 'Combination' is the broadest term: it simply means things placed or used together, without saying whether they merge. 'Composite' is more technical, describing something built from distinct parts that remain physically or conceptually identifiable, such as a composite photograph made from several images. 'Fusion' implies a seamless merging into something new, especially in cooking (fusion cuisine) or music. 'Hybrid' itself emphasises that the two sources are of different categories or species, and the result often carries traits of both. A hybrid car still has both an engine and a motor; a fusion dish might hide its origins. For everyday use: 'The song is a blend of jazz and pop' (smooth), versus 'The band is a hybrid of metal and folk music' (distinct categories visibly combined).

blend ↗combination ↗composite ↗fusion ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • hybrid of X and Y
  • hybrid between A and B

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'hybrid' goes back to Latin 'hybrida' (also spelled 'hibrida'), which originally meant the offspring of a tame sow and a wild boar — a 'half-breed' animal. The Romans used it more broadly for anything of mixed origin, including people of mixed parentage. English borrowed the word in the early 1600s for crossbred plants and animals, keeping the biological idea. In the 1800s, 'hybrid' expanded to describe mixtures of languages, cultures, and technologies. The sense of a petrol-electric vehicle appeared in the late 20th century, and 'hybrid working' became widespread after 2020. The core idea across all these uses is the same: something that joins two different kinds of things to create a new, often improved, result.