thoroughbred

1 of 2

adjective

thor·​ough·​bred ˈthər-ə-ˌbred How to pronounce thoroughbred (audio)
ˈthə-rə-
1
: bred from the best blood through a long line : purebred
thoroughbred dogs
2
a
capitalized : of, relating to, or being a Thoroughbred horse
b
: having characteristics resembling those of a Thoroughbred
3
: thoroughly trained or skilled
a thoroughbred soldier

thoroughbred

2 of 2

noun

1
: a purebred or pedigreed animal
2
capitalized : any of an English breed of light speedy horses kept chiefly for racing that originated from crosses between English mares of uncertain ancestry and Arabian stallions
3
: a thoroughly educated or skilled person

Illustration of thoroughbred

Illustration of thoroughbred
  • Thoroughbred

Examples of thoroughbred in a Sentence

Adjective a thoroughbred dog
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The Williamses have deep roots in agriculture and ranching, and the sprawling property in Parma, which is nearly twice the size of the nearby city of Notus, reflects the duo’s longstanding involvement in hunting and thoroughbred horse racing. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2024 Swift Delivery, a thoroughbred partially owned by Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, finished second in the Toronto Cup Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday. David K. Li, NBC News, 1 Sep. 2024
Noun
Stable of thoroughbreds: Here, leaders compete with each other instead of working together. Vince Molinaro, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024 Breeding and racing thoroughbreds are science and culture in tandem, to use a horse term, and National Velvet, The Black Stallion, and War Horse are timeless classics. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 12 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for thoroughbred 

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

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1701, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thoroughbred was in 1701

Dictionary Entries Near thoroughbred

Cite this Entry

“Thoroughbred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thoroughbred. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

thoroughbred

1 of 2 adjective
thor·​ough·​bred ˈthər-ə-ˌbred How to pronounce thoroughbred (audio)
ˈthə-rə-
1
: bred from the best stock through a long line : purebred
thoroughbred dogs
2
capitalized : of, relating to, or being a Thoroughbred horse

thoroughbred

2 of 2 noun
1
: a purebred or pedigreed animal
2
capitalized : any of an English breed of light speedy horses kept chiefly for racing

More from Merriam-Webster on thoroughbred

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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