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

The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology has also proposed a limit of 50 families per donor across the EU.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

At the Center for Human Reproduction in New York, half the patients last year were older than 45, including many who underwent failed IVF procedures elsewhere, said Dr. Norbert Gleicher, a fertility specialist there.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

This article has been lightly adapted from the book Personhood: The New Civil War over Reproduction, by Mary Ziegler.

From Slate • Apr. 21, 2025

The research was conducted by the Reproduction, Nutrition, and Behavior in Insect Societies group at JGU under the supervision of Dr. Romain Libbrecht, an evolutionary biologist.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2024

Reproduction of music was not high on Edison’s list of priorities.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

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