reproduction

American  

[ree-pruh-duhk-shuhn] / ˌri prəˈdʌk ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of reproducing.

2. the state of being reproduced.

3. something made by reproducing an original; copy; duplicate.

   a photographic reproduction; a reproduction of a Roman vase.

   Synonyms:

   facsimile, replica

4. Biology. the natural process among organisms by which new individuals are generated and the species perpetuated.

   Synonyms:

   propagation, generation

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reproduction British  

/ ˌriːprəˈdʌkʃən /

noun

1. biology any of various processes, either sexual or asexual, by which an animal or plant produces one or more individuals similar to itself

2. 1. an imitation or facsimile of a work of art, esp of a picture made by photoengraving

   2. Sometimes shortened to: repro.  ( as modifier )

      a reproduction portrait

3. the quality of sound from an audio system

   this amplifier gives excellent reproduction

4. the act or process of reproducing

5. the state of being reproduced

6. a revival of an earlier production, as of a play

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reproduction Scientific  

/ rē′prə-dŭk′shən /

1. The process by which cells and organisms produce other cells and organisms of the same kind.

2. ◆ The reproduction of organisms by the union of male and female reproductive cells (gametes) is called sexual reproduction. Many unicellular and most multicellular organisms reproduce sexually.

3. ◆ Reproduction in which offspring are produced by a single parent, without the union of reproductive cells, is called asexual reproduction. The fission (splitting) of bacterial cells and the cells of multicellular organisms by mitosis is a form of asexual reproduction, as is the budding of yeast cells and the generation of clones by runners in plants. Many plants and fungi are capable of reproducing both sexually and asexually, as are some animals, such as sponges and aphids.

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Other Word Forms

• nonreproduction
  noun
• self-reproduction
  noun

Etymology

Origin of reproduction

First recorded in 1650–60; re- + production

Explanation

A reproduction of a painting is a copy of the original that looks just like it. The act of reproduction involves making copies or having babies. We won't get into the birds and the bees, but reproduction is the sexual activity of producing offspring, also known as procreation. But reproduction isn't just the act of making babies. It can involve making copies or replications. Similarly, a reproduction is an identical version of something, often artwork. There are many reproductions of Picasso's paintings but in every case, there is only one original and it's worth far more than all the copies combined.

Example Sentences

In a notorious 2015 speech, Kovalchuk warned that the West was moving toward the creation of “servant humans”—controllable people with limited self-awareness and manipulated reproduction.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

But even if that happens, it will be malnourished, vulnerable to infection and less able to devote the energy needed for reproduction.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

R0 is a basic reproduction number measuring the contagion potential of a virus, so an R0 of 2.7 means one infected person will spread it to 2.7 other people on average.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

A reproduction of a major religious text is bound to have an impact on the classroom experience.

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026

Flies in Canada, for example, have been slower to develop resistance than those in southern United States, where long hot summers favor a rapid rate of reproduction.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

• breeding
• copy
• facsimile
• imitation
• photocopy
• photograph
• picture
• print
• propagation
• recreation
• replica
• replication