mongrel
No pedigree here
A mongrel is a dog of mixed or indeterminate breed, as opposed to a purebred: The shelter was full of mongrels.
The term extends to anything of mixed origin or composition.
Applied to people, mongrel is offensive, suggesting impure ancestry or racial mixing.
The word carries connotations of being inferior or lacking pedigree, though some use it affectionately for dogs.
Mixed-breed dog
- curContemptible beast or person
- hybridThing of mixed parentage
- halfbreedPerson of mixed parentage
- mixed-bloodOf multiracial ancestry
lurcher · street dog · village dog · landrace · unregistered · scrub · rescue · shelter dog
Rejected, shunned person
- strayWander from course
- unwantedNot wished for
- rejectDismiss as unsuitable
- underdogPresumed loser beforehand
runt · castoff · abandoned · neglected · feral · homeless · unowned · unclaimed
Able to recover quickly
- scrappyAggressively spirited despite odds
- survivorOne still alive after
- toughDurable and strong
- resourcefulSkilled at solving problems
adaptable · tenacious · rugged · sturdy · robust · street-smart · self-reliant · wiry
Pass from side to side
- blendCombine into mixture
- mixCombine different elements
- amalgamMixture of disparate parts
- compositeMade of distinct parts
fusion · meld · splice · combination · intermix · outcross · interbreed · miscegenation
Fabric scraps sewn together
- mosaicInlaid pictorial arrangement
- hodgepodgeConfused, disorderly mixture
- motleyVaried, incongruous mixture
- assortedOf various sorts
eclectic · heterogeneous · miscellaneous · jumbled · variegated · grab-bag · potpourri · medley
mutt
Mixed-breed dog
mixed-blood · lurcher · street dog · village dog · landrace · unregistered · scrub · rescue · shelter dog
pariah
Rejected, shunned person
underdog · runt · castoff · abandoned · neglected · feral · homeless · unowned · unclaimed · untouchable
resilient
Able to recover quickly
resourceful · adaptable · tenacious · rugged · sturdy · robust · street-smart · self-reliant · wiry · plucky
cross
Pass from side to side
composite · fusion · meld · splice · combination · intermix · outcross · interbreed · miscegenation · mestizo
patchwork
Fabric scraps sewn together
- mosaicInlaid pictorial arrangement
- hodgepodgeConfused, disorderly mixture
- motleyVaried, incongruous mixture
assorted · eclectic · heterogeneous · miscellaneous · jumbled · variegated · grab-bag · potpourri · medley · mishmash
mongrelpurebred
Of single breed ancestry
pedigree · thoroughbred · pureblood · full-blooded · pure-bred
mongrelthoroughbred
Of pure ancestral line
purebred · champion · best in show · blue-blooded · pedigree
mongrelpure
Unmixed, without impurities
pureblooded · unmixed · homogeneous · inbred · authentic