breeding

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 proprieties

4

: the sexual propagation of plants or animals

Synonyms

• ancestry
• birth
• blood
• bloodline
• descent
• extraction
• family tree
• genealogy
• line
• lineage
• origin
• parentage
• pedigree
• stock
• strain

Examples of breeding in a Sentence

She became involved in the breeding of sled dogs.

His politeness shows good breeding.

a person who lacks breeding

Recent Examples on the Web

The researchers found that 71 percent of the dominant females and 79 percent of the breeding males reduced in size at least once over the study period. —Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 May 2025

The Apollo Beach lab headed by O’Neil is one of the nation’s largest coral breeding operations. —Max Chesnes, Sun Sentinel, 18 May 2025

Not surprisingly two of them are about horse breeding. —Peter J Reilly, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025

For example, the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), which is common around homes, lives and bites within 200 to 300 yards of its breeding site. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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