purebred

American  

[pyoor-bred, pyoor-bred] / ˈpyʊərˈbrɛd, ˈpyʊərˌbrɛd /

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

The study also found differences between the owners of crossbreed and purebred dogs.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 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

We also have the means to purchase a purebred pet from a woman who raises her cats in an immaculate home, where they take turns snoozing on a blanket in front of a fireplace.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2024

Lawmakers later strengthened the law to forbid all retail dog sales after finding dubious rescues began selling purebred and designer puppies to pet stores.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 23, 2024

He hadn’t been this scared since Mike told Susan he wanted a purebred.

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein