reproduction

noun

re·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən 

1

: the act or process of reproducing

specifically : the process by which plants and animals give rise to offspring and which fundamentally consists of the segregation of a portion of the parental body by a sexual or an asexual process and its subsequent growth and differentiation into a new individual

2

: something reproduced : copy

3

: young seedling trees in a forest

Synonyms

• carbon
• carbon copy
• clone
• copy
• dummy
• dupe
• duplicate
• duplication
• facsimile
• imitation
• mock
• reduplication
• replica
• replication

Choose the Right Synonym for reproduction

reproduction, duplicate, copy, facsimile, replica mean a thing made to closely resemble another.

reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details

a replica of the Mayflower

but not always in the same scale.

miniature replicas of classic cars

Examples of reproduction in a Sentence

the mass reproduction of fine art

a reproduction of the painting

Recent Examples on the Web

Legions of insects have evolved to help native plants with long-distance reproduction, including butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, midges and gnats. —Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024

For close-up work, the RF 200-800mm provides the most magnification at 200mm (1:4 life-size) thanks to its 2.6-foot (80cm) minimum focus distance and still gets fairly close at 800mm (9.2 feet for 1:5 reproduction). —PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024

The law also makes a person liable for civil action if an audio recording or a reproduction of a person’s likeness was knowingly published without authorization. —Emily Cochrane, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024

In the case of Charlotte, then, her pregnancy can most likely be explained by parthenogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction akin to cloning that’s performed by some fish, reptiles and birds. —Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024

For one, state legislatures have become polarized due to a wide range of factors, such as gerrymandering, said Mary Ziegler, a politics of reproduction expert at UC Davis School of Law. —Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024

Patrons can also taste a reproduction of the sour cream pound wedding cake recipe that Yearwood’s mother made for Brooks and Yearwood on their wedding day in 2005. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 8 Mar. 2024

In 2022, a team of Chinese scientists induced asexual reproduction in mice under experimental conditions by editing DNA in regions responsible for genomic imprinting. —Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024

In addition to the audio Blu-Ray, the collection is rounded out with two books: a reproduction of Bowie’s notebooks from the era and a 112-page book featuring liner notes, photographs, and more. —Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reproduction

• reproduction proof

Kids Definition

reproduction

noun

re·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən 

1

: the act or process of reproducing

especially : the process by which plants and animals produce offspring

2

: something reproduced : copy

Medical Definition

reproduction

noun

re·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən 

: the act or process of reproducing

specifically : the process by which plants and animals give rise to offspring and which fundamentally consists of the segregation of a portion of the parental body by a sexual or an asexual process and its subsequent growth and differentiation into a new individual