breeding

1 of 2

noun

breed·​ing ˈbrē-diŋ 

1

: the action or process of bearing or generating

2

: ancestry

3

a

archaic : education

… she had her breeding at my father's charge.

—William Shakespeare

b

: training in or observance of the customs and manners of polite society

4

: the sexual propagation of plants or animals

breeding

2 of 2

present participle of breed entry 1

Synonyms of breeding

Noun

• lineage
• ancestry
• pedigree
• origin
• genealogy
• family

Examples of breeding in a Sentence

Noun

She became involved in the breeding of sled dogs.

His politeness shows good breeding.

a person who lacks breeding

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sikich said even one mountain lion coming into the Santa Monicas and breeding could make a meaningful impact. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Scientists inserted genes associated with Alzheimer’s into mouse genomes, breeding animals that had high levels of amyloid in their brains; the mice then began to struggle with spatial navigation. — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Deer breeding behavior, known as the rut, aligns with the changing length of daylight. — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 31 Oct. 2026

Most of the people who own the farms got rich elsewhere first – the Farish family’s roots go back to the Texas oil rush – and then got richer breeding, selling and racing horses. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing breeding

• breeding ground
• breeding season
• selective breeding

Rhymes for breeding

• beading
• bleeding
• ceding
• feeding
• heeding
• kneading
• leading
• needing
• pleading
• reding
• seeding
• speeding

Kids Definition

breeding

noun

breed·​ing

1

: ancestry sense 1

2

: training especially in manners

3

: the producing and raising of plants or animals by sexual reproduction