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Glite Dictionary
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cross-pollinating

cross-pollinating

4.9
Having pollen moved between different plants, usually by insects or wind
  • adjective
  • /ˈkrɔsˌpɒləˌneɪtɪŋ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : polinización cruzada
  • When we're saving seeds on the cross pollinated crops, we're going to employ things like making an isolation distance to block pollen or even manually bagging blooms.

Examples

  • Bees play an essential role in cross-pollinating many of the fruits and vegetables we eat.

  • The process of cross-pollinating plants can create new hybrid varieties with desirable traits.

  • Farmers often rely on cross-pollinating flowers to improve the quality of their crops.

Synonyms

allogamous
vscross-pollinating
  • Specialized
9.9

To make new plants by receiving pollen from a different plant of the same species

is the descriptive phrase focusing on pollen transfer rather than a scientific label

How Self-Pollinated

self-pollinated
  • Specialized
1 5.8
cross-pollinating
  • Specialized
4.9

Surface Forms

cross-pollinating positive

Morphology

cross-pollinating = cross-pollinate (transparent) = cross + pollinate + ing

The verb is a clear compound of 'cross' + 'pollinate' with the deverbal suffix '-ing' forming the participial/adjectival form used here.

Etymology

Cross-pollinating comes from plant life: cross means 'between' and pollinate comes from pollen, the 'fine dust' that bees carry from one flower to another. So cross-pollinating describes plants that get pollen from a different plant, which helps make new kinds of seeds.