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Definition of breed
bred
play \ˈbred\;breeding
transitive verb
1 : to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation yet every mother breeds not sons alike — Shakespeare
2a : beget 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
4a : bring up, nurture We were born and bred in the country.b : to inculcate by training breed good manners into one's children
5a : 4mate 3 the business of breeding cattle a horse that is bred to a donkeyb : to mate with : inseminatec : impregnate 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
1a : to produce offspring by sexual union places where mosquitoes breedb : copulate, mate
2 : to propagate animals or plants
Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of breed in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples of breed from the Web
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And to that point, war-torn and traumatized places just like Mosul and Raqqa are exactly the kinds of milieus where militant groups like ISIS are born and bred.
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But fresh blood breeds fresh ideas, which has been the case since producer/engineer Dave Chatel joined Soundworks in 2013.
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DISTORTRESS has only had two races and is another one who is bred to handle the grass.
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Industrial hemp is bred to have only traces of THC, the intoxicating chemical compound that gets marijuana consumers high.
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To prevent mosquitoes from breeding, get rid of standing water.
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The costs are high – fights are vicious and stressful and many males do not get to breed at all – but the benefits are great to those that succeed.
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Early May through mid-June represents breeding season for bears, Medford said.
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On Hansens’ suggestions, the judge did impose conditions that will prevent Ismail from owning, breeding or having dogs in his home for at least the next two years.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'breed'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of breed
Middle English breden, from Old English brēdan; akin to Old English brōd brood
breed
Definition of breed
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 1stock 5b(1))
3 : class, kind a new breed of athlete such people are a dying breed
Examples of breed in a Sentence
The collie is a working breed.
a new breed of athlete
Recent Examples of breed from the Web
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French bulldogs were the second-most popular breed in California while bulldogs took second-place in Nevada.
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Genetic signatures the felines had on those journeys are still seen in most modern-day breeds.
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A Burbank resident is continuing his mission to prove that wild mustangs are just as good as any other horse breed at competitions.
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Though it was not planned this way, the video series comes during a time when health experts and scientists are warning of a particularly bad season for ticks and that Illinois could see a new breed of ticks this year.
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SPCA Executive Director Tammy Fox said the pit bull and another mixed breed dog were seized and brought to the Marathon shelter.
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The dogs — both terrier breeds — were later picked up by their owners, Bruce said.
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Hesheng grows apples, strawberries, cherries, cucumbers and tomatoes using an automated irrigation system, and rears local breeds of pigs and goats without the use of antibiotics or hormones.
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To celebrate, here is a list of the most popular cat and dog breeds, according to Purina and the American Kennel Club.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'breed'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of breed
see 1breed
Other Genetics Terms
BREED Defined for English Language Learners
breed
playDefinition of breed for English Language Learners
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: to keep and take care of animals or plants in order to produce more animals or plants of a particular kind
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: to produce young animals, birds, etc. : to produce offspring by sexual reproduction
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: to take care of and teach (a child who is growing up)
breed
Definition of breed for English Language Learners
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: a particular kind of dog, cat, horse, etc. : a kind of animal that has been produced by breeding
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: a kind of person
BREED Defined for Kids
Definition of breed for Students
bred
\ˈbred\;breeding
breeder
nounMedical Dictionary
Medical Definition of breed
bred
\ˈbred\play ;breeding
1
transitive verb
: to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation2: to propagate (plants or animals) sexually and usually under controlled conditions
3a: mateb: to mate with : inseminatec: impregnate 1
1
intransitive verb
a: to produce offspring by sexual unionb: copulate, mate2: to propagate animals or plants
breed
Medical Definition of breed
: 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
Learn More about breed
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See words that rhyme with breed Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for breed Spanish Central: Translation of breed Nglish: Translation of breed for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of breed for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about breed
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