purebred

American  

[pyoor-bred, pyoor-bred] / ˈpjʊərˈbrɛd, ˈpjʊərˌbrɛd /

adjective

1. of or relating to an animal, all of whose ancestors derive over many generations from a recognized breed.

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noun

1. a purebred animal, especially one of registered pedigree.

purebred British  

adjective

1. denoting a pure strain obtained through many generations of controlled breeding for desirable traits

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noun

1. a purebred animal Compare grade crossbred

Etymology

Origin of purebred

First recorded in 1865–70; pure + bred

Explanation

A purebred animal is one that has two parents from the same breed. if your puppy's mother and father were both standard poodles, that means she's purebred. For domestic animals that are bred to have certain characteristics (or to look or behave a specific way), the term purebred describes the offspring of the exact same breed. A Maine coon cat with official papers proving its parentage is a purebred; another cat may look similar but have genetic material from a variety of cat breeds mixed in. Purebred is from the Latin purus, "unmixed," and breed, from a root meaning "bring to birth."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

purebred

The results showed designer doodles differed from their purebred parents in just over half of all comparisons.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026

This show draws national attention to purebred dogs and their competition, as the Puppy Bowl spotlights rescue and adoption.

From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2026

For 31 years Labradors topped the American Kennel Club’s purebred rankings, which are based on more than one million annual registrations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025

I mention specific breeds, but please read each with an asterisk: I am not suggesting a dog has to be purebred to be pure fun.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2025

“Oh, your dog is a purebred? Well, ours is a star!”

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein