sire

1 of 2

noun

ˈsī(-ə)r 

1

a

: father

b

archaic : male ancestor : forefather

c

: author, originator

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

Synonyms of sire

Noun

• dad
• father
• daddy

Verb

• beget
• father
• spawn
• produce
• reproduce

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

Noun

Into Mischief has been the leading sire in North America (by earnings) for the last seven years, including Derby winners Authentic (for Baffert), Mandaloun and Sovereignty, while Plutarch’s dam, Stellar Wind, was the 3-year-old champion filly in 2015. —Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026

Assistant trainer Dennis O’Neill purchased the horse in 2015 at a price of $400,000 before stallion Uncle Mo became the nation’s leading first-crop sire. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Jan. 2026

Verb

Spike had sired three elephant calves at other zoos, but none survived. —Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026

Conspiracists have long speculated about if and how Hitler might live on: using a pseudonym in Argentina, huddling in a bunker under the Antarctic ice, or secretly siring offspring. —Rosemary Counter, Vanity Fair, 19 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for sire

• acquire
• attire
• bonfire
• campfire
• ceasefire
• conspire
• desire
• enquire
• entire
• greenbrier
• gunfire
• homebuyer

Kids Definition

sire

1 of 2 noun

ˈsī(ə)r 

1

: father entry 1 sense 1a

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

ˈsī(ə)r 

: 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