procreate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to beget or generate (offspring).
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to produce; bring into being.
verb (used without object)
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to beget offspring.
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to produce; bring into being.
verb
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to beget or engender (offspring)
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(tr) to bring into being
Other Word Forms
- nonprocreative adjective
- procreant adjective
- procreation noun
- procreative adjective
- procreativeness noun
- procreator noun
- unprocreated adjective
Etymology
Origin of procreate
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin prōcreātus, past participle of prōcreāre “to breed”; pro- 1, create
Explanation
To procreate is to reproduce. In other words, to procreate is a more formal way of saying "making babies." Notice the word create in procreate? That's a clue that this word is about making something, in this case, making more creatures. In biology, procreation is typically called reproduction. All forms of procreating result in more critters like the originals. Your parents procreated, or you wouldn't be here.
Vocabulary lists containing procreate
"The Tragedy of Macbeth," Vocabulary from Act 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Her ex-husband argued he had a right not to procreate, according to court filings.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025
Yes, humans, like virtually every life form, have a need to procreate — but in aggregate, not individually.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2024
Selfishly, Al's decision to procreate at 83 has made me more comfortable being 40 with a toddler to the point where I decided to identify as a young dad.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2023
State laws can be lacking in addressing the nuances of parental relationships and the right to procreate, as the Heidemann case appears to suggest.
From New York Times • Mar. 16, 2023
The most submissive, most appealing lambs were allowed to live longer and procreate.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
