sire

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: father
b
archaic : male ancestor : forefather
2
a
archaic : a man of rank or authority
especially : lord
used formerly as a form of address and as a title
b
obsolete : an elderly man : senior
3
: the male parent of an animal and especially of a domestic animal

sire

2 of 2

verb

sired; siring

transitive verb

1
: beget
used especially of male domestic animals
2
: to bring into being : originate

Examples of sire in a Sentence

Noun his sire had been a renowned Wall Street lawyer the revered sire of the impressionist movement in art Verb The horse sired several champion racers. the champion racehorse went on to sire a long line of winners
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The swashbuckling sire, the deadpan ingénue, the sans serif font, the one-point perspective — Anderson’s held fast to his favorite elements even as his canvases have gotten broader and his style even more fastidious. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 18 May 2025 Journalism shares a sire (Curlin) with a five-year-old colt from Kentucky named Crupi (no relation). Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
He was sired by American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown in 2015. Jason Jones, New York Times, 1 May 2025 Flying Mohawk This horse was sired by Karakontie, a Mohawk word that roughly translates to flying sun burning across the sky. Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sire

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, lord, feudal superior, from Vulgar Latin *seior, alteration of Latin senior older — more at senior

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sire was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sire. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

sire

1 of 2 noun
1
2
archaic : a male ancestor : forefather
3
: the male parent of an animal and especially of a domestic animal

sire

2 of 2 verb
sired; siring
: beget sense 1
used especially of domestic animals

Medical Definition

sire

1 of 2 noun
: the male parent of an animal and especially of a domestic animal

sire

2 of 2 transitive verb
sired; siring
: to procreate as the male parent of

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