A mutt is a dog that is not purebred and does not belong to one officially recognized breed. The term "mutt" can be used with either affection or disdain to refer to a dog that is not purebred. Although the word "mutt" can have a negative connotation, it simply means that the dogs parents were not registered and both parents are not of the same breed. Mixed breed or designer dog is a different name for what is essentially a mutt. Dogs called crossbreeds are deliberately bred to combine characteristics of two or more recognized breeds, while mutts are the result of accidental mixing of breeds. In the late 1800s, "mutt" was a derogatory term meaning either "stupid person" or "stupid dog".