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

Thus, the first few years of the penguins getting used to the Southern California climate in their habitat meant some adjustments to the Birch Aquarium breeding program. —Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026

The recent success of wolves in improving their population in California to include four successful breeding pairs triggered the start of a new phase of the plan. —Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 6 Feb. 2026

While paperwork declared the shipment was for breeding, organizer Abraham Badillo told The News the birds’ offspring would be used for fighting, underscoring the regulatory gap that allows the industry to persist domestically and abroad. —Tracey McManus, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026

But breeding cows for milk protein would be more challenging, Dechow said. —Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 4 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