Disparaging and Offensive. half-breed.
a person who has only one parent in common with another person, as a half sister or half brother.
the relationship between individuals having only one parent in common
an individual having such a relationship
a less common name for a half-breed
a half-blooded domestic animal
First recorded in 1545–55
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English half blod
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In American Law, blood includes both half blood, and whole blood.
From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Webster, Noah
Prohibited Degrees.—Marriage between ascendants and descendants, between brothers and sisters of the whole or half blood, between uncle and niece, or aunt and nephew, and between first cousins, is forbidden.
From Marriage and Divorce Laws of the World by Ringrose, Hyacinthe
"I ask you this," cried Lawrence, "in the name of our mother, for you and I, Victor Broussard, are brothers of the half blood."
From Betty at Fort Blizzard by Seawell, Molly Elliot
Were William de Warburton and Ingelram de Monceaux relatives of the half blood of Juliana?
From Notes and Queries, Number 65, January 25, 1851 by Various
Prohibited Degrees.—Marriage is forbidden between persons nearer of kin than first cousins, of the whole or half blood, computing by the rules of the civil law.
From Marriage and Divorce Laws of the World by Ringrose, Hyacinthe
That subtext is brought home by a subplot involving a gay doctor who secretly performs abortions and operations to help the half-blood children of humans and fae pass as human.
From The Verge ● Aug. 15, 2019
Margaret Piraino, 24, dressed as Nymphadora Tonks, a half-blood witch, complete with rainbow hair and Potter-themed jewelry, attended the BookCourt party with her girlfriend, Laurel Detkin, a fellow Potter enthusiast.
From New York Times ● Jul. 31, 2016
In addition to replacing the N-word, Gribben changes the villain in "Tom Sawyer" from "Injun Joe" to "Indian Joe" and "half-breed" becomes "half-blood."
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 5, 2011
What they found were Annabeth, Grover, and me standing over the body of a broken half-blood, in the dim warm light of the hearth.
From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan
So . . . you wish to dream of your quest, young half-blood?
From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
