DictionaryAI

breeding

USBREE-ding/ˈbɹiːdɪŋ/

9 meanings of breeding

Practice

  1. 1
    noununcountable
    The producing of young when male and female animals or plants join.

    Like planting seeds to grow new plants: animals make new young in their own way.

    The breeding of pandas in zoos is notoriously difficult.

    Successful breeding depends on the health of both parents.

    Similarreproduction, procreation, propagation, rearing

    Note
  2. 2
    verb
    Present participle of breed. Use this form for an action happening right now.

    They are breeding horses on the new farm.

    She is breeding tropical fish in her garage.

    Note
  3. 3
    adjective
    Used for or having to do with producing young animals.

    The ranch maintains a strong breeding stock.

    Salmon return to the river during the breeding season.

    Similarreproductive, mating

    Note
  4. 4
    noununcountable
    Good manners that people think come from being born into a high-class family.

    Like table manners learned at home: it shows in how politely someone behaves.

    Her good breeding showed in the way she greeted every guest.

    People admired the breeding of the young prince.

    Similarrefinement, gentility, polish, manners, cultivation

    Oppositevulgarity, coarseness

  5. 5
    noununcountable
    When male and female animals come together to produce young.

    The breeding of the cattle takes place in early spring.

    Zookeepers watched closely for any sign that breeding had begun.

    Similarmating, copulation, coupling

  6. 6
    noununcountable
    Getting sperm into a female animal, either by mating or with special tools.

    The farmer wrote down the date of each cow's breeding so he would know when to expect the calves.

    Artificial breeding helped the rare birds produce more eggs.

    Similarinsemination, mating, covering

  7. 7
    noununcountable
    The family line that a person or animal comes from.

    Like a family tree that shows where someone came from.

    The horse's breeding made it valuable to serious buyers.

    You could tell the dog's breeding from its papers.

    Similarpedigree, lineage, ancestry, bloodline, stock

    Note
  8. 8
    noununcountable
    The way a child is raised and taught how to behave.

    His breeding was left to his grandparents after his parents moved away for work.

    Good breeding begins with the lessons children learn at home.

    Similarupbringing, rearing, nurture, education, training

    Note
  9. 9
    nounslanguncountable
    Releasing semen inside a partner's rear during anal sex without a condom.

    He preferred breeding to using a condom with his partner.

    After breeding, both men went to get tested for infections.

    Note

breeding is a form of breed

breed, verb: To raise animals and choose which ones have young, so the next generation is better. Full entry

Forms
breedbreeds he/she/itbreeding -ing formbred past tense, past participle
Spelling
breed → breeding: add -ing

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of breeding apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 4–9

From Middle English breedyng, which meant things like gestation, hatching, and growth. It comes from breed plus -ing.

Meanings 2–3

From Middle English bredyng, from Old English, going back to a Proto-Germanic word meaning 'to brood or breed.' It is breed plus -ing.