breed

1 of 2

verb

ˈbrēd 

bred ˈbred  ; breeding

transitive verb

1

: to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation

yet every mother breeds not sons alike

—Shakespeare

2

a

: beget sense 1

He bred a daughter.

b

: produce, engender

despair often breeds violence

3

biology : to propagate (plants or animals) sexually and usually under controlled conditions

bred several strains of corn together to produce a superior variety

4

a

: bring up, nurture

We were born and bred in the country.

b

: to inculcate by training

breed good manners into one's children

5

a

: mate entry 4 sense 3

the business of breeding cattle

a horse that is bred to a donkey

b

: to mate with : inseminate

c

: impregnate sense 2

delivered her kittens 63 days after being bred

6

physics : to produce (a fissionable element) by bombarding a nonfissionable element with neutrons from a radioactive element

intransitive verb

1

a

: to produce offspring by sexual union

places where mosquitoes breed

b

: copulate, mate

2

: to propagate animals or plants

breed

2 of 2

noun

1

biology : a group of usually domesticated animals or plants presumably related by descent from common ancestors and visibly similar in most characters

exotic breeds of cats

retrievers and other popular dog breeds

2

: a number of persons of the same stock (see stock entry 1 sense 4a(1))

3

: class, kind

a new breed of athlete

such people are a dying breed

Synonyms

Verb

• multiply
• procreate
• propagate
• reproduce

Noun

• class
• description
• feather
• genre
• ilk
• kidney
• kind
• like
• manner
• nature
• order
• sort
• species
• strain
• stripe
• type
• variety

Examples of breed in a Sentence

Verb

He got into the business of breeding cattle.

The plants are bred to resist disease and drought.

She believes that we are breeding a generation of children who know nothing about the history of their country.

Noun

The collie is a working breed.

a new breed of athlete

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Typically breeding once a year, quokkas produce only one baby, a joey. —Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024

Basically that poor enforcement had bred serious disrespect for the law, or at least a misunderstanding of it. —Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Noun

Several viewers have gone on to praise the breed in the comments section. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

The kit is the perfect holiday gift for pets and pet owners and offers extensive information on dog breed, genetic traits, health and DNA matches. —Elsie Boskamp, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English breden, from Old English brēdan; akin to Old English brōd brood

Noun

noun derivative of breed entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing breed

• a breed apart
• breed to
• dying breed
• half-breed
• rare breed

Kids Definition

breed

1 of 2 verb

ˈbrēd 

bred ˈbred  ; breeding

1

: to produce (plants or animals) by sexual reproduction

breed cattle

2

: to produce offspring by sexual reproduction

3

: bring up sense 1, train

born and bred in this town

4

: bring about, cause

familiarity breeds contempt

5

: to produce (a fissionable element) by bombarding an element that is not fissionable with neutrons from a radioactive element so that more fissionable material is produced than is used up

breeder noun

breed

2 of 2 noun

1

: a group of animals or plants usually found only under human care and different from related kinds

a breed of cattle

2

: kind, class

Medical Definition

breed

1 of 2 verb

ˈbrēd 

bred ˈbred  ; breeding

transitive verb

1

: to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation

2

: to propagate (plants or animals) sexually and usually under controlled conditions

3

a

: mate

b

: to mate with : inseminate

c

: impregnate sense 1

intransitive verb

1

a

: to produce offspring by sexual union

b

: copulate, mate

2

: to propagate animals or plants

breed

2 of 2 noun

: a group of animals or plants presumably related by descent from common ancestors and visibly similar in most characters

especially : such a group differentiated from the wild type under domestication