reproduction

noun

re·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən 

1

: the act or process of reproducing

specifically : the process by which plants and animals give rise to offspring and which fundamentally consists of the segregation of a portion of the parental body by a sexual or an asexual process and its subsequent growth and differentiation into a new individual

2

: something reproduced : copy

3

: young seedling trees in a forest

Synonyms of reproduction

• copy
• replica

Choose the Right Synonym for reproduction

reproduction, duplicate, copy, facsimile, replica mean a thing made to closely resemble another.

reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details

a replica of the Mayflower

but not always in the same scale.

miniature replicas of classic cars

Examples of reproduction in a Sentence

the mass reproduction of fine art

a reproduction of the painting

Recent Examples on the Web

Laser Projection Benefits Laser projectors offer significantly better image quality than units based on Xenon lamps, offering a higher light output, better color reproduction, greater contrast and an overall more uniform image. — Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Pollination is crucial to plant reproduction and the wider ecosystem that relies on plants as a food source. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026

Testing began with the Autodesk Kickstarter benchmark model, which remains one of the quickest ways to evaluate bridging, overhangs, dimensional accuracy, and text reproduction. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 27 June 2026

Just know that some logo buttons are genuine, some are replacements and some are reproductions, so authentication matters. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reproduction

• reproduction proof

Rhymes for reproduction

• coproduction
• deconstruction
• introduction
• liposuction
• misconstruction
• postproduction
• preconstruction
• preproduction
• reconstruction
• abduction
• adduction
• conduction

Kids Definition

reproduction

noun

re·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən 

1

: the act or process of reproducing

especially : the process by which plants and animals produce offspring

2

: something reproduced : copy

Medical Definition

reproduction

noun

re·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən 

: the act or process of reproducing

specifically : the process by which plants and animals give rise to offspring and which fundamentally consists of the segregation of a portion of the parental body by a sexual or an asexual process and its subsequent growth and differentiation into a new individual