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

In 2010, Muller converted the family’s breeding operation into what became the Rhino Momma Project in Namibia’s Kunene region. — Rhett Ayers Butler, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Mosquitoes need only one tablespoon of water to breed, so areas like rain gutters, birdbaths or buckets with stagnant water are all possible breeding sites. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Crate-trained, traveling only with bamboo, water, treats Ping Ping and Fu Shuang began their 8,000-mile journey in the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the largest panda breeding facility in China. — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026

The panda, Bei Bei, was later returned to China in 2019 to enter a breeding program. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 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