breed

American  

[breed] / brid /

verb (used with object)

bred, breeding

1. to produce (offspring); procreate; engender.

   Synonyms:

   generate, bear, beget

2. to produce by mating; propagate sexually; reproduce.

   Ten mice were bred in the laboratory.

   Synonyms:

   generate, bear, beget

3. Horticulture.

   1. to cause to reproduce by controlled pollination.

   2. to improve by controlled pollination and selection.

4. to raise (cattle, sheep, etc.).

   He breeds longhorns on the ranch.

5. to cause or be the source of; engender; give rise to.

   Dirt breeds disease. Stagnant water breeds mosquitoes.

   Synonyms:

   develop, induce, produce, foster, occasion, promote

6. to develop by training or education; bring up; rear.

   He was born and bred a gentleman.

7. Energy. to produce more fissile nuclear fuel than is consumed in a reactor.

8. to impregnate; mate.

   Breed a strong mare with a fast stallion and hope for a Derby winner.

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verb (used without object)

bred, breeding

1. to produce offspring.

   Many animals breed in the spring.

2. to be engendered or produced; grow; develop.

   Bacteria will not breed in alcohol.

3. to cause the birth of young, as in raising stock.

4. to be pregnant.

noun

1. Genetics. a relatively homogenous group of animals within a species, developed and maintained by humans.

2. lineage; stock; strain.

   She comes from a fine breed of people.

   Synonyms:

   line, pedigree, family

3. sort; kind; group.

   Scholars are a quiet breed.

4. Disparaging and Offensive. half-breed.

breed British  

/ briːd /

verb

1. to bear (offspring)

2. (tr) to bring up; raise

3. to produce or cause to produce by mating; propagate

4. to produce and maintain new or improved strains of (domestic animals and plants)

5. to produce or be produced; generate

   to breed trouble

   violence breeds in densely populated areas

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noun

1. a group of organisms within a species, esp a group of domestic animals, originated and maintained by man and having a clearly defined set of characteristics

2. a lineage or race

   a breed of Europeans

3. a kind, sort, or group

   a special breed of hatred

breed Scientific  

/ brēd /

1. To produce or reproduce by giving birth or hatching.

2. To raise animals or plants, often to produce new or improved types.

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1. A group of organisms having common ancestors and sharing certain traits that are not shared with other members of the same species. Breeds are usually produced by mating selected parents.

breed Idioms  

1. see familiarity breeds contempt.

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Other Word Forms

• breedable adjective
• overbreed verb (used with object)
• rebreed verb
• subbreed noun

Etymology

Origin of breed

before 1000; Middle English breden, Old English brēdan to nourish (cognate with Old High German bruotan, German brüten ); noun use from 16th century

Example Sentences

The BBC has asked police how old the child was and what breed the dogs were.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

According to the World Health Organization, climate change -- through increased rainfall, temperatures and humidity -- can in some cases accelerate malaria transmission by enabling mosquitoes to breed faster.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

“Probably what we’re seeing is that she’s like, ‘Well, I didn’t breed this year, but I do still need to find a mate,’” Hunnicutt said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Lemssouguer says he is trying to breed flocks of them so they can be reintroduced to the wild.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

My formula has variables for age, color, breed, and size.

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

Related Words

• beget
• create
• engender
• give birth to
• hatch
• induce
• multiply
• produce
• propagate
• reproduce