breeding

[ bree-ding ]

/ ˈbri dɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR breeding ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the producing of offspring.

the improvement or development of breeds of livestock, as by selective mating and hybridization.

Horticulture. the production of new forms by selection, crossing, and hybridizing.

training; nurture: He is a man of good breeding.

the result of upbringing or training as shown in behavior and manners; manners, especially good manners: You can tell when a person has breeding.

Energy. the production in a nuclear reactor of more fissile material than is consumed.

Origin of breeding

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at breed, -ing¹

OTHER WORDS FROM breeding

non·breed·ing, adjective, noun

Words nearby breeding

breed, breed of cat, breed's hill, breeder, breeder reactor, breeding, breeding ground, breeks, breen, breenge, breeze

Definition for breeding (2 of 2)

breed

[ breed ]

/ brid /

verb (used with object), bred, breed·ing.

to produce (offspring); procreate; engender.

to produce by mating; propagate sexually; reproduce: Ten mice were bred in the laboratory.

Horticulture.

to cause to reproduce by controlled pollination.
to improve by controlled pollination and selection.

to raise (cattle, sheep, etc.): He breeds longhorns on the ranch.

to cause or be the source of; engender; give rise to: Dirt breeds disease. Stagnant water breeds mosquitoes.

to develop by training or education; bring up; rear: He was born and bred a gentleman.

Energy. to produce more fissile nuclear fuel than is consumed in a reactor.

to impregnate; mate: Breed a strong mare with a fast stallion and hope for a Derby winner.

verb (used without object), bred, breed·ing.

to produce offspring: Many animals breed in the spring.

to be engendered or produced; grow; develop: Bacteria will not breed in alcohol.

to cause the birth of young, as in raising stock.

to be pregnant.

noun

Genetics. a relatively homogenous group of animals within a species, developed and maintained by humans.

lineage; stock; strain: She comes from a fine breed of people.

sort; kind; group: Scholars are a quiet breed.

Disparaging and Offensive. half-breed(def 1).

Origin of breed

before 1000; Middle English breden, Old English brēdan to nourish (cognate with Old High German bruotan, German brüten); noun use from 16th century

SYNONYMS FOR breed

1, 2 beget, bear, generate.

5 promote, occasion, foster, produce, induce, develop.

14 family, pedigree, line.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR breed ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM breed

breed·a·ble, adjective o·ver·breed, verb (used with object), o·ver·bred, o·ver·breed·ing. re·breed, verb, re·bred, re·breed·ing. sub·breed, noun

Example sentences from the Web for breeding

“Hence, there might be a net benefit, at least to some females, of breeding within the natal group,” the researchers speculate.

Mongooses, Meerkats, and Ants, Oh My! Why Some Animals Keep Mating All in the Family |Helen Thompson |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Its adaptability and breeding capabilities ensured that it would be selected for mass production on an unimaginable scale.

The History of the Chicken: How This Humble Bird Saved Humanity |William O’Connor |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The critters have the propensity to devour their babies if alarmed and so require a calm environment for breeding.

Whole Foods Wants to Feed You Cute, Furry Bunnies |Tim Mak |August 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Even when bred in captivity, Leahy said breeding facilities are often horrendous, resembling factory farming.

The $10 Billion Pet Cheetah and Chimp Industry |Sharon Adarlo |July 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Breeding a resistant strain can take five generations of plants, and 15 years.

Will Coffee Rust Hurt Starbucks? |Nina Strochlic |June 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Even when the breeding places are left, the poor birds are shot in thousands out at sea.

British Sea Birds |Charles Dixon
“It is purely a matter of breeding,” Christopher Burley replied stiffly.

The Cryptogram |William Murray Graydon
A common plan is to use all the longest and deepest sows of the first cross for breeding baconers.

Australia The Dairy Country |Australia Department of External Affairs
Heretofore, while there had been much discussion as to the breeding of racing dogs, it had been largely theoretical.

The Land of Tomorrow |William B Stephenson, Jr.
On many farms the breeding flock of ducks is fed on the same ration which is given the farm fowls.

Ducks and Geese |Harry M. Lamon

British Dictionary definitions for breeding (1 of 2)

breeding

/ (ˈbriːdɪŋ) /

noun

the process of bearing offspring; reproduction

the process of producing plants or animals by sexual reproduction

the result of good training, esp the knowledge of correct social behaviour; refinement a man of breeding

a person's line of descent his breeding was suspect

physics a process occurring in a nuclear reactor as a result of which more fissionable material is produced than is used up

British Dictionary definitions for breeding (2 of 2)

breed

/ (briːd) /

verb breeds, breeding or bred

to bear (offspring)

(tr) to bring up; raise

to produce or cause to produce by mating; propagate

to produce and maintain new or improved strains of (domestic animals and plants)

to produce or be produced; generate to breed trouble; violence breeds in densely populated areas

noun

a group of organisms within a species, esp a group of domestic animals, originated and maintained by man and having a clearly defined set of characteristics

a lineage or race a breed of Europeans

a kind, sort, or group a special breed of hatred

Word Origin for breed

Old English brēdan, of Germanic origin; related to brood

Scientific definitions for breeding

breed

[ brēd ]

Verb

To produce or reproduce by giving birth or hatching.

To raise animals or plants, often to produce new or improved types.

Noun

A group of organisms having common ancestors and sharing certain traits that are not shared with other members of the same species. Breeds are usually produced by mating selected parents.

Idioms and Phrases with breeding

breed

see familiarity breeds contempt.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

breeding

noun

Origin of breeding

OTHER WORDS FROM breeding

Words nearby breeding

Definition for breeding (2 of 2)

verb (used with object), bred, breed·ing.

verb (used without object), bred, breed·ing.

noun

Origin of breed

SYNONYMS FOR breed

OTHER WORDS FROM breed

Example sentences from the Web for breeding

British Dictionary definitions for breeding (1 of 2)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for breeding (2 of 2)

verb breeds, breeding or bred

noun

Word Origin for breed

Scientific definitions for breeding

Verb

Noun

Idioms and Phrases with breeding

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

breeding

noun

Origin of breeding

OTHER WORDS FROM breeding

Words nearby breeding

Definition for breeding (2 of 2)

verb (used with object), bred, breed·ing.

verb (used without object), bred, breed·ing.

noun

Origin of breed

SYNONYMS FOR breed

OTHER WORDS FROM breed

Words related to breeding

Example sentences from the Web for breeding

British Dictionary definitions for breeding (1 of 2)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for breeding (2 of 2)

verb breeds, breeding or bred

noun

Word Origin for breed

Scientific definitions for breeding

Verb

Noun

Idioms and Phrases with breeding