bred

B3R1E1D2
US, UK/bɹɛd/Australia, New Zealand/bɹed/Scotland, Wales/bɾɛd/Northern Ireland/bɻɛd/

A form of breed — To produce offspring sexually; to bear young.

OriginMiddle English bred ← Old English bred →
Less commonFirst used 1650sScrabble 7
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Meanings

bred1

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of breedFirst known use 1650s

bred2

nounbred (plural breds)

plural breds

  1. alternativedialectalAlternative form of braid (“board, shelf, plank”).

Origin

bred · verb

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Full word history & related roots →

bred · noun

  1. Old Englishbred“board, plank, tablet, table”
  2. Middle Englishbred
  3. Englishbred

From Middle English bred, from Old English bred (“board, plank, tablet, table”). More at braid.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with bred

readsaidthreadzleadwedbedinsteadeddeadledaheadspreadmedbreadtedoverheadAhmedtreaddreadembedsledpleadundead
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

breadbread
Cite this entry
APA

bred. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bred

MLA

“bred.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bred. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bred,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bred.

Source: bred on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.