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• thoroughbred
  thoroughbred

  adjective

  of pure or unmixed breed, stock, or lineage, as a horse or other animal; bred from the purest and best blood.
• Thoroughbred
  Thoroughbred

  noun

  a British breed of horse the ancestry of which can be traced to English mares and Arab sires; most often used as a racehorse

thoroughbred

American  

[thur-oh-bred, -uh-bred, thuhr-] / ˈθɜr oʊˌbrɛd, -əˌbrɛd, ˈθʌr- /

adjective

1. of pure or unmixed breed, stock, or lineage, as a horse or other animal; bred from the purest and best blood.

2. (sometimes initial capital letter) of or relating to the Thoroughbred breed of horses.

3. (of a person) having good breeding or education.

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noun

1. (initial capital letter) one of a breed of horses, to which all racehorses belong, originally developed in England by crossing Arabian stallions with European mares.

2. a thoroughbred animal.

3. a well-bred or well-educated person.

thoroughbred ¹ British  

/ ˈθʌrəˌbrɛd /

adjective

1. purebred

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noun

1. a pedigree animal; purebred

2. a person regarded as being of good breeding

Thoroughbred ² British  

/ ˈθʌrəˌbrɛd /

noun

1. a British breed of horse the ancestry of which can be traced to English mares and Arab sires; most often used as a racehorse

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Other Word Forms

• thoroughbredness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of thoroughbred

First recorded in 1695–1705; thorough + bred

Example Sentences

Both measures were opposed by Southern California tracks and the California Thoroughbred Trainers and the TOC.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

Fierceness finishes ahead of Preakness Stakes winner Journalism to win the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Saturday.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2025

This is Santa Anita,’” Balch, currently the executive director of the California Thoroughbred Trainers, recalled when meeting Denman for the first time.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2025

This all comes after the Stronach Group, in conjunction with the Thoroughbred Owners of California, hatched the plan to kill off racing in the north in order to help save the south.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2024

Giannini saw Howard rekindling his lost love of horses and thought he should stop dabbling and commit himself fully to Thoroughbred racing.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Related Words

• graded