Mongrel

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl/

Definitions

1. A canine of mixed or unknown ancestry, or more broadly, anything of hybrid or inferior quality derived from diverse sources
2. A dog that is a blend of various breeds or an entity characterized by a mixture of different and often inferior elements from multiple origins
3. An animal or object that is mixed in breed or origin, typically regarded as inferior due to its diverse ancestry or components

Etymology: "Mongrel" is built from "mong," a mixture, and the pejorative diminutive suffix "-rel." That "mong" traces back to Old English "ġemang," meaning a mingling, the same root that gave modern English "among." So the word's core idea is simply a thing mixed up with other things, and the small suffix attached to it is what tilted it toward disparagement. The suffix does much of the work here. Diminutive endings like "-rel" were often attached to nouns to suggest something lesser or smaller in kind, and "mongrel" inherited that slighting tone. A dog of mixed ancestry was thus marked as an inferior sort of animal, while the original sense of mere mixing faded into the background. Over time the word broadened beyond dogs. Its adjective use now describes anything of uncertain or blended origin, from a hybrid style of architecture to a language built from several others, usually with the same undertone of impurity that the suffix first gave it.

Synonyms: crossbreed, hybrid

Antonyms: purebred