mongrel English · revision 1385

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl/ ''(UK)''; /ˈmɑŋ.ɡɹəl/, /ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English,^(MW Collegiate) probably from obsolete ''mong'' “mixture”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|ang|gemang|t=mingling, crowd]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) with the disparaging suffix ''-rel''.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) It is related to [[among]] and [[mingle]].^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A heraldic term for a kind of dog, probably of mixed breed (about 1460).^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was applied to persons of mixed race or birth from 1542, chiefly in disparagement,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and to any animal or plant of mixed breed from 1677.^(OED 1989) The adjective “of mixed breed” is from 1576.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Etymonline notes that the distinction between a ''mongrel'' and a ''hybrid'' is not always observed.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * about 700 – Old English ''gemang''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1460 – a dog of mixed breed.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1542 – a person of mixed descent.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1576 – adjective, of mixed breed.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1677 – any crossbred animal or plant.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A dog of mixed or unknown breed; a [[mutt]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Any animal or plant resulting from mixed breeding.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # A cross between different kinds of things, especially an incongruous one.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of mixed breed, nature or origin.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mongrelism]]

+ * [[mongrelization]]

+ * [[mongrelize]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[among]]

+ * [[mingle]]

+ * [[hybrid]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''mutt'', ''cross'' and ''half-breed'' as synonyms, refers to ''hybrid'' for a discussion, and gives ''thoroughbred'' and ''purebred'' as antonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}