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.
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
"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
The terms half blood, three-eighths blood, and quarter blood refer to the full-blooded Merino standard.
From Textiles For Commercial, Industrial, and Domestic Arts Schools; Also Adapted to Those Engaged in Wholesale and Retail Dry Goods, Wool, Cotton, and Dressmaker's Trades by Dooley, William H. (William Henry)
Prohibited Degrees.—Marriage is prohibited between persons nearer of kin than second cousins, whether 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
In American Law, blood includes both half blood, and whole blood.
From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Webster, Noah
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
“He’s this half-blood kid we brought to camp last winter. He, uh . . . he asked me to guard his sister on a quest, and I failed. She died. Now he blames me.”
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
Too much of it would make a half-blood very, very feverish.
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.
