breed

1 of 2

verb

bred ˈbred How to pronounce breed (audio) ; breeding

transitive verb

1
: to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation
yet every mother breeds not sons alikeShakespeare
2
a
: beget sense 1
He bred a daughter.
b
: produce, engender
despair often breeds violence
3
biology : to propagate (plants or animals) sexually and usually under controlled conditions
bred several strains of corn together to produce a superior variety
4
a
: bring up, nurture
We were born and bred in the country.
b
: to inculcate by training
breed good manners into one's children
5
a
: mate entry 4 sense 3
the business of breeding cattle
a horse that is bred to a donkey
b
: to mate with : inseminate
c
: impregnate sense 2
delivered her kittens 63 days after being bred
6
physics : to produce (a fissionable element) by bombarding a nonfissionable element with neutrons from a radioactive element

intransitive verb

1
a
: to produce offspring by sexual union
places where mosquitoes breed
b
2
: to propagate animals or plants

breed

2 of 2

noun

1
biology : a group of usually domesticated animals or plants presumably related by descent from common ancestors and visibly similar in most characters
exotic breeds of cats
retrievers and other popular dog breeds
2
: a number of persons of the same stock (see stock entry 1 sense 4a(1))
3
: class, kind
a new breed of athlete
such people are a dying breed

Examples of breed in a Sentence

Verb He got into the business of breeding cattle. The plants are bred to resist disease and drought. She believes that we are breeding a generation of children who know nothing about the history of their country. Noun The collie is a working breed. a new breed of athlete
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The animals breed prolifically, devour all manner of plants, distribute copious amounts of dung around waterways and associate people and cars with food. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023 Because they were bred for companionship, Italian greyhounds often make strong connections to their owners and will rarely leave their sides. Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2023 Wildfires and floods breed anxiety, despair and isolation, all of which can exacerbate substance use. Popular Science, 14 Sep. 2023 Today, there are about 500 of the birds, with New Zealand's Department of Conservation breeding them in captivity. Catherine Garcia, The Week, 7 Sep. 2023 The event will honor Ruth Kobayashi, who has been breeding flowers for three decades and will be recognized with the 2023 Paul Ecke Jr. Award of Excellence. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2023 Colorado’s cliffs and caves also provide homes for one of the most mysterious migrating birds: the black swift, which sometimes breeds behind waterfalls. Emily Anthes, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2023 Mosquitoes, for example, depend on water sources to breed, Dietrich said. Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2023 Familiarity breeds success for FanDuel, DraftKings Four primary sportsbooks have acquired a 90% market share of the industry, according to Eilers & Krejcik. Chris Bumbaca, The Courier-Journal, 5 Sep. 2023
Noun
Cowboys 24, Jets 10 Fully convinced that Micah Parsons is a different breed. Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 17 Sep. 2023 The easy-to-use swab kit screens for 350+ different breeds and shares the percentage of each to give owners a picture of their dog’s heritage. Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023 However, more research is needed to fully understand its efficacy and determine the appropriate dosages for different breeds and sizes of dogs. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023 The gene occurs naturally in at least six different cattle breeds across the world, including Senepol cows in Saint Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023 The wood thrush, whose heralded song is often said to sound like a flute, breeds throughout the eastern United States, but its population has plummeted over the last half century. Emily Anthes, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2023 Being a 1974, this example has the square taillights of the later 2002 models; enthusiasts of the breed may argue that the earlier round taillights are a little prettier (although the earlier chrome bumpers have been retrofitted). Brendan McAleer, Car and Driver, 26 Aug. 2023 Meet and play with more than 200 different dog breeds, watch demonstrations and competitions, and get advice from animal experts. Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2023 In general, larger breeds need shorter leashes, and vice versa. Mike Richard, Women's Health, 23 Aug. 2023 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English breden, from Old English brēdan; akin to Old English brōd brood

Noun

noun derivative of breed entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of breed was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near breed

Cite this Entry

“Breed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breed. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

breed

1 of 2 verb
bred ˈbred How to pronounce breed (audio) ; breeding
1
: to produce (plants or animals) by sexual reproduction
breed cattle
2
: to produce offspring by sexual reproduction
3
: bring up sense 1, train
born and bred in this town
4
: bring about, cause
familiarity breeds contempt
5
: to produce (a fissionable element) by bombarding an element that is not fissionable with neutrons from a radioactive element so that more fissionable material is produced than is used up
breeder noun

breed

2 of 2 noun
1
: a group of animals or plants usually found only under human care and different from related kinds
a breed of cattle
2
: kind, class

Medical Definition

breed

1 of 2 verb
bred ˈbred How to pronounce breed (audio) ; breeding

transitive verb

1
: to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation
2
: to propagate (plants or animals) sexually and usually under controlled conditions
3
a
: mate
b
: to mate with : inseminate

intransitive verb

1
a
: to produce offspring by sexual union
b
2
: to propagate animals or plants

breed

2 of 2 noun
: a group of animals or plants presumably related by descent from common ancestors and visibly similar in most characters
especially : such a group differentiated from the wild type under domestication

More from Merriam-Webster on breed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!