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 customs and manners of polite society

4

: the sexual propagation of plants or animals

Synonyms of breeding

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

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

Doñana National Park is a vast wetland system in southwestern Spain that supports one of the continent's richest ecosystems and plays a critical role in European and African bird migration and breeding. —Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2026

Eight states already prevent the sale of pets sourced from large-scale, commercial breeding operations. —Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026

By selecting adults with the strongest genetic makeup, said Sevilla, the breeding program aims to gradually bring the extinct Floreana species back to its former purity. —ABC News, 20 Feb. 2026

This was a kind of spontaneous plant breeding before Gregor Mendel’s famous experiments with peas. —Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026

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