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In biology, hybrid has two meanings. The first meaning is either the offspring of two different species, or of two different genera. The second meaning of "hybrid" is crosses between populations or cultivars ("cultivated varieties") of a single species. This second meaning is often used in plant breeding. Hybrids between species of the same genus are sometimes known as interspecific hybrids or crosses. Hybrids between different genera are sometimes known as intergeneric hybrids.

Ernst Mayr wrote of Gregor Mendel, "He was uncertain about the nature of the kinds of peas he crossed, and, like most plant breeders, he called heterozygotes "hybrids." When he tried to confirm the laws he had found by using "other hybrids" that were actually real species hybrids, he failed. The use of the same term "hybrid" for two entirely different biological phenomena thwarted his later efforts." (This is Biology, 1997, p58f).

Some dog hybrids (used in sense two, above), are becoming increasingly popular and are being bred selectively.

Plant hybrids, especially, may or may not be stronger than either parent variety, a phenomenon which when present is known as hybrid vigour. To create specialised plants is called cross-fertilisation . In animals, hybrids often manifest reduced fertility or, like the mule are sterile.

Some interspecies hybrids are:

• Mule, a cross of female horse and a male donkey.
• Hinny, a cross between a female donkey and a male horse.
• Zeedonk, a zebraEquus zebra Equus quagga Equus grevyi See Equus for other species. Zebras are members of the horse family native to central and southern Africa. All have vividly contrasting black and white vertical stripes (hence the zebra crossing named after it) on the/ donkey cross; zorseA zorse is the offspring of a zebra stallion and a horse mare. It is a zebroid: this term refers to any hybrid equine with zebra ancestry. The zorse is shaped more like a horse than a zebra, but has boldly striped legs and, often, stripes on the body or n, a zebra/horse cross
• BeefaloBeefalo are a fertile cross-breed of domestic cattle and the American bison, often called buffalo. They were developed beginning in the mid-1800s, with the present beefalo being a combination of 3/8 Bison, 5/8 cattle. Beefalo meat, like bison meat, is low, a cross of an American BisonThe American Bison Bison bison , often called buffalo is the largest terrestrial mammal in North America. The bison is a bovine mammal that formerly roamed the open plains of the United States and Canada in massive herds, ranging from the Great Slave Lake and a domestic cowCattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. They are raised as livestock for meat (called beef and veal), dairy products ( milk), leather and as draught animals (pulling carts, plows and the like). In some c, this is a fertile breed, despite the two species being classified in different genera (Bison and Bos, respectively).
• Hybrids between sheepThis article is about the animal; for other meanings of Sheep see Sheep (disambiguation). A sheep is any of several woolly ruminant quadrupeds, but most commonly the Domestic Sheep Ovis aries , which probably descends from the wild urial of south-central and goatA goat is any of several species of medium-sized grazing animal. All goats (and sheep) belong to the subfamily Caprinae of the family Bovidae. In common use, however, goat is usually understood to mean the Domestic Goat Capra aegagrus hircus a subspecies.
• Wolfdog, the cross between a domestic dog and a Wolf. Crosses also occur between coyote, wolves, dingos, and domestic dogs. Many of these produce fertile animals ("dog" & "wolf" are now usually considered the same species, so this may be considered a non-hybrid).
• Hybrids between spotted owls and barred owls
• Liger (or Tigon, depending on the parents' genders), a cross between a Lion and a Tiger. Various other wild cat crosses are known involving the Lynx, Bobcat, Leopard, Serval, etc.
• Cama , a cross between a Camel and a Llama, also an intergeneric hybrid.
• Wolphin, a fertile but very rare cross between a whale and a dolphin.
• A fertile cross between an albino King Snake and an albino Corn Snake.
• Leyland Cypress, a hybrid between Monterey Cypress and Nootka Cypress.
• London Plane, a hybrid between Oriental Plane and American Plane (American Sycamore).

Hybrids should not be confused with chimaeras.