mongrel Hear it!

mongrel Definition

mon·grel (mäŋ′grəl, muŋ′-)

noun

  1. an animal or plant produced by the crossing of different breeds or varieties; esp., a dog of this kind
  2. anything produced by indiscriminate mixture

Etymology: ME mengrell < base of OE mengan, to mix + dim. suffix -rel as in cockerel: form infl. by ME mong, aphetic < OE gemong, mixture: see among

adjective

of mixed breed, race, origin, or character: often a contemptuous or derogatory usage
mongrel Synonyms

mongrel

modif.

crossbred, halfbred, hybrid; see confused 2, mixed 1.

mongrel Synonyms

mongrel

n.

mutt, cur, crossbreed, cross.

mongrel Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • call: However, help was to arrive in the shape of a small mongrel called Ceri - a fully trained hearing dog.
  • rescue: Like Oscar they are both rescued mongrels, of course!

Adjective modifier

  • little: The scruffy little mongrel in the pet shop window has a grand ambition - to be a guard dog.
  • small: However, help was to arrive in the shape of a small mongrel called Ceri - a fully trained hearing dog.
  • old: And I like walking my dog, a very old mongrel.
  • scruffy: The scruffy little mongrel in the pet shop window has a grand ambition - to be a guard dog.
  • black: Someone's stabbed my dog. ' He was indeed holding a large black mongrel.
  • white: The black and white mongrel was only six weeks old, and was taken straight away to the Blue Cross Rescue Center in Burford.

Modifies a noun

  • puppy: Star - saved from death Star is a 8 month old mongrel puppy.
  • dog: Each visit is a joyous reunion with Flynn's mother - our mongrel dog Barney.
  • race: He has condemned the Tory leader's refusal to remove the whip from Mr Townend for stating Britons are becoming a mongrel race.
  • offspring: Firstly we shall consider whether this cat is a mongrel offspring of some group of exotic pets.
  • nation: Ever since the first Roman, Saxon, Jute and Dane leaped off a boat we have been a mongrel nation.
  • bitch: We found a little mongrel bitch puppy whom we called Whitney.

Noun used with modifier

  • rescue: For a small rescue mongrel, it is a real rags to riches story.
  • pedigree: Married, with four children and one pedigree mongrel dog, he has followed the ups and downs of Newcastle United since adolescence.