purebred
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of purebred
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."
Vocabulary lists containing purebred
Genetics - Middle School
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Genetics - High School
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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.
For purebred wealth managers, such as the traditional Swiss-headquartered private banks run by families or partners for generations, Deloitte said the loans can generate 25% or 30% of annual profit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
The RVC said the study highlighted the importance of owners thoroughly exploring the characteristics of any breed - purebred or crossbred - before getting a dog.
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
The three students weren’t just looking to capture any large salamander: Their goal was to find a purebred Japanese giant salamander.
From New York Times ● Jun. 17, 2024
Including a female chow chow named Cha-Cha from a purebred rescue group.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
