Chimeras refer to imaginary creatures that combine features from different animals. The term originated from Greek mythology, where a Chimera was a fire-breathing monster with the head of a lion, body of a goat, and tail of a serpent. Alternatives to the word chimera include hybrid, crossbreed, and mongrel. These terms can refer to both animals and plants that result from genetic mixing. Other possible synonyms include fantasy, illusion, and figment of the imagination, which are more abstract terms. Finally, some possible related words include mythical, legendary, and mystical, which all evoke images of fantastic or magical creatures from folklore and legends.