domestication

American  

[duh-mes-ti-key-shuhn] / dəˌmɛs tɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of taming an animal for human use or companionship.

   Shortly after their domestication as companions, dogs were put to use as weapons of war.

2. the act or process of adapting a plant to cultivation or converting it to household use.

   The domestication of modern wheat from wild grasses occurred in the Fertile Crescent and fueled the development of Indo-European culture.

3. the act or process of making someone accustomed to household life or affairs.

   When my friend and former business partner not only got married but became pregnant, I saw it as yet another step in her domestication.

4. the act or process of making a strange or challenging person or thing more familiar and acceptable.

   The author resists domestication of Nietzsche's philosophy, restoring the shock of his style and thought and interpreting him as a revolutionary philosopher.

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Etymology

Origin of domestication

First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin domesticāt-, stem of domesticāre “to dwell in a house” ( see domesticate ( def. )) + -ion ( def. )

Explanation

When you tame an animal and train it to be a pet or work on a farm, that's domestication. The domestication of dogs began thousands of years ago, which is probably why they're such great companions today. After the successful domestication of dogs, humans went on to domesticate many other animals, from horses and donkeys to cows and chickens. The term also applies to the process of breeding and growing plants for specific uses, mainly as food sources. Domestication comes from the Medieval Latin domesticare, which means "to tame" and "to dwell in a house." Despite the domestication of your donkey, she still probably shouldn't live in your house.

Example Sentences

The point is also made that the evolution of dogs and their domestication tens of thousands of years ago may mean that they have, or have developed, an inclination toward language.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

None of the Late Pleistocene specimens examined, including some previously suggested as "proto-dogs," showed skull features consistent with domestication.

From Science Daily • Jan. 6, 2026

Rather than being limited to hunting or avoidance, these interactions sometimes involved close cooperation and management, hinting at early experiments with domestication that did not lead directly to modern dogs.

From Science Daily • Dec. 29, 2025

The new evidence shows cat domestication didn't start at the dawn of agriculture - in the Levant.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2025

Initially, one of the most puzzling features of animal domestication is the seeming arbitrariness with which some species have been domesticated while their close relatives have not.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

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