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 Traditional plant breeders to date have not been able to create a purple-fleshed tomato with cross pollination. Sasa Woodruff, NPR, 28 Apr. 2024 The disease is of particular concern to Texas deer breeders, who face the culling of their entire herds if CWD is found on their farms. Emily Brindley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Apr. 2024 While Seedsman is a breeder in its own right - and is responsible for budget-friendly strains like Larry Lemon and Fuel D.OG - it’s partnered with over 100 world-class breeders to offer one of the most diverse collections of Cannabis seeds around. Anna Miller, Sacramento Bee, 26 Apr. 2024 One reason plant breeders tried new types of Callery pear trees: Bradford trees, which can grow to 20-feet-to-30-feet-tall, are also prone to splitting and breaking, especially in windy weather. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024 But like feed additives, currently there is limited incentive for breeders and producers to consider this direction. Paul Winters, Discover Magazine, 16 Mar. 2024 At of the end of 2023, there were over 1,800 breeder’s licenses issued in the city, creating a whole separate avenue for people to find a pet. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024 Local Hundreds of Humane Society pets ended up with men linked to a reptile breeder. Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2024 But the breeder Miranda selected had no Blenheims for sale, only a single black-and-tan male. David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'breeder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 1 May. 2024.

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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