'cross-breeding' originates from English, combining 'cross' (from Old English 'cros', meaning 'a structure consisting of an upright and a transverse piece') and 'breed' (from Old English 'bredan', meaning 'to produce offspring').

'cross-breeding' formed in modern English by combining 'cross' and 'breed', with the '-ing' suffix to indicate the process or action.

Initially, it referred specifically to the act of producing offspring from different breeds, but now it is also used more broadly for any mixing of varieties or types.