cross-sterile

[ kraws-ster-uhlor, especially British, -ahyl, kros- ]

adjective

1. incapable of reproducing due to hybridization.

Other Words From

• cross-ste·rili·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cross-sterile¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

This leaves the evolutionists to account for one of the most difficult things in connection with this theory, namely, how did varieties of animals of the same species become cross-sterile?*

From Project Gutenberg

Several things must occur simultaneously before cross-sterility between parent and offspring could occur and become effective, namely, a number of individuals must be born at the same time possessing the same variation, the variation must be useful, these individuals must be fertile with each other, they must be cross-sterile with the parent form," as, otherwise, the offspring would revert to type, "and, finally, the few, if any, individuals thus produced and being widely scattered through the species, must find each other before they could propagate.

From Project Gutenberg