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Glite Dictionary
to cross-pollinate innovation

to cross-pollinate innovation

7.4
Bring ideas from different areas together to make new products or solutions
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : fomentar la innovación
  • Leaders are encouraged to cross-pollinate innovation by forming diverse teams from different departments.

Examples

  • By collaborating globally, scientists can cross-pollinate innovation and accelerate breakthrough discoveries.

  • The tech summit helped companies cross-pollinate innovation in artificial intelligence and healthcare.

  • We need to cross-pollinate innovation across departments.

  • The team aims to cross-pollinate innovations from various sectors.

  • By collaborating globally, scientists can cross-pollinate innovation and accelerate breakthrough discoveries.

  • Leaders are encouraged to cross-pollinate innovation by forming diverse teams from different departments.

  • The tech summit helped companies cross-pollinate innovation in artificial intelligence and healthcare.

Synonyms

to cross-pollinate
vsto cross-pollinate innovation
5.8

Share ideas from different groups to make something new

focuses on deliberate introduction and blending to foster new developments
to cross-fertilize
vsto cross-pollinate innovation
  • Formal
5.8

To share ideas between different fields to create new ways or solutions

stresses blending diverse sources to encourage creative new developments

How Innovative

to innovate
39 5.5
to cross-pollinate innovation
7.4
to adapt
178 3.2
to combine
638 2.7
to apply
374 2.8

Surface Forms

cross-pollinate innovation infinitive
cross-pollinated innovation past
cross-pollinated innovation past participle
cross-pollinating innovation present participle
cross-pollinate innovations third person singular

Morphology

cross-pollinate + innovation

The verb 'cross-pollinate' (to blend or exchange concepts) combined with 'innovation' (new ideas/developments) yields a directly interpretable meaning: to mix ideas to produce innovation. The metaphor of "cross-pollinating" ideas is transparent and common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Cross-pollinate innovation comes from a clear plant image: when pollen from one flower reaches another, the plants mix and can make new kinds of flowers. So cross-pollinate paints the picture of moving ideas between people or groups to 'mix ideas' and create new products or ways of working.