What does "breeding" mean?
Propagation of offspring through sexual reproduction.
Breeding
/ˈbɹiːdɪŋ/ adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Propagation of offspring through sexual reproduction.
- Grammar: breeding is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: procreation, reproduction, upbringing, alpha decay.
- Useful contrasts: bad breeding, deter, infertility.
- Usage evidence: This chemical will prevent germs from breeding.
How to use "breeding"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "breeding" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "breeding" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "breeding" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "breeding" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "breeding" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "procreation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "breeding", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Propagation of offspring through sexual reproduction. countable, uncountable
"In analysing the ecological conditions of an animal population we have above all to focus our attention upon the most sensitive stages within the life cycle of the animal, that is, the period of breeding and larval development."
- 2 the sexual activity of conceiving and bearing offspring wordnet
- 3 The act of insemination by natural or artificial means. countable, uncountable
- 4 the production of animals or plants by inbreeding or hybridization wordnet
- 5 The act of copulation in animals. countable, uncountable
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 helping someone grow up to be an accepted member of the community wordnet
- 7 The good manners regarded as characteristic of the aristocracy and conferred by heredity. countable, uncountable
- 8 elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression wordnet
- 9 Nurture; education; formation of manners. countable, uncountable
"She had her breeding at my father's charge."
- 10 the result of good upbringing (especially knowledge of correct social behavior) wordnet
- 11 Descent; pedigree; extraction. countable, uncountable
"Your dog has good breeding."
- 12 Ejaculation inside the rectum during bareback anal sex. countable, slang, uncountable
Verb
- 1 present participle and gerund of breed form-of, gerund, participle, present
"Through genetic manipulation and harsh training, I am breeding a species of super-dogs to take over the world."
Adjective
- 1 Of, relating to or used for breeding. not-comparable
"Your toothbrush is a breeding ground for bacteria."
Adjective
- 1 producing offspring or set aside especially for producing offspring wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"This chemical will prevent germs from breeding."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "breeding"?
Common synonyms include: procreation, reproduction, upbringing, alpha decay, ancestry, animal husbandry.
How do you use "breeding" in a sentence?
This chemical will prevent germs from breeding.
How do you pronounce "breeding"?
Pronounced /ˈbɹiːdɪŋ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English breedyng, bredynge (“gestation, incubation, propagation, hatching; engineering, formation, development, growth”), equivalent to breed + -ing.
Etymology 2
From Middle English bredyng, bredynge, from Old English *brēdende, from Proto-Germanic *brōdijandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *brōdijaną (“to brood; breed”), equivalent to breed + -ing.