breeder

noun

breed·​er ˈbrē-dər How to pronounce breeder (audio)
: one that breeds: such as
a
: an animal or plant kept for propagation
b
: one engaged in the breeding of a specified organism
c
: a nuclear reactor designed to produce more fissionable material than it uses as fuel

called also breeder reactor

Examples of breeder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Molten-salt breeder reactors are the most viable designs for thorium fuel, says Charles Forsberg, a nuclear scientist at MIT. Emily Waltz, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Dec. 2024 Last year, the entire breeder flock of 6,600 pheasants at Reynolds Farm had to be killed because of an outbreak of avian flu. Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2024 Interest in breeder reactors waned after the 1960s as the available global uranium supply increased and scientists developed more efficient enrichment methods. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024 Rose breeder Jackson & Perkins recommends winterizing roses in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7 and cooler, which includes the Middle and Upper South. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for breeder 

Word History

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of breeder was in 1531

Dictionary Entries Near breeder

Cite this Entry

“Breeder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breeder. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

Medical Definition

breeder

noun
breed·​er
: one that breeds: as
a
: an animal or plant kept for propagation
b
: one engaged in the breeding of a specified organism

More from Merriam-Webster on breeder

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