Meanings
breeding1
plural breedings
- countableuncountablePropagation of offspring through sexual reproduction.
Plant breeding is always a numbers game.[…]The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation, and individual plants are highly heterozygous and do not breed true.
2013 May-June, David Van Tassel, Lee DeHaan, “Wild Plants to the Rescue”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 2221 more example
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.
1950, Gunnar Thorson, “Reproductive and Larval Ecology of Marine Bottom Invertebrates”, in Biological Reviews, volume 25, number 1, pages 1–45 - countableuncountableThe act of insemination by natural or artificial means.
- countableuncountableThe act of copulation in animals.
- countableuncountableThe good manners regarded as characteristic of the aristocracy and conferred by heredity.
- countableuncountableNurture; education; formation of manners.
She had her breeding at my father's charge.
c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii] - countableuncountableDescent; pedigree; extraction.
Your dog has good breeding.
1 more example
Honest gentlemen, I know not your breeding.
c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii] - countableuncountableLGBTQ slangEjaculation inside the rectum during bareback anal sex.
breeding2
- not comparableOf, relating to or used for breeding.
Your toothbrush is a breeding ground for bacteria.
- gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of breed
Through genetic manipulation and harsh training, I am breeding a species of super-dogs to take over the world.
Breeding3
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveproducing offspring or set aside especially for producing offspring
nounelegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
nounthe result of good upbringing (especially knowledge of correct social behavior)
nounhelping someone grow up to be an accepted member of the community
nounthe sexual activity of conceiving and bearing offspring
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
breeding · noun
- Middle Englishbreedyng
- Englishbreeding
From Middle English breedyng, bredynge (“gestation, incubation, propagation, hatching; engineering, formation, development, growth”), equivalent to breed + -ing.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →breeding · adjective, verb
- Proto-Germanic*brōdijaną“to brood; breed”
- Proto-Germanic*brōdijandz
- Old English*brēdende
- Middle Englishbredyng
- Englishbreeding
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.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish lisääntyminen, kasvatus
- lisääntyminenprocess through which propagation, growth or development occurs
- kasvatusprocess through which propagation, growth or development occurs
- siittäminenact of inseminating by natural or artificial means
- hedelmöittäminenact of inseminating by natural or artificial means
- paritteleminencopulation of animals
- kasvatusgood manners as characteristic of the aristocracy
French élevage, insémination
- élevageprocess through which propagation, growth or development occurs
- inséminationact of inseminating by natural or artificial means
- copulationcopulation of animals
Indonesian pemuliaan
- pemuliaanprocess through which propagation, growth or development occurs
Malay pembiakbakaan
- pembiakbakaanprocess through which propagation, growth or development occurs
Māori whakaaiaitanga, rangatiratanga
- whakaaiaitangaact of inseminating by natural or artificial means
- rangatiratangagood manners as characteristic of the aristocracy
Russian выра́щивание, разведе́ние
- выра́щивание (vyráščivanije)process through which propagation, growth or development occurs
- разведе́ние (razvedénije)process through which propagation, growth or development occurs
- родосло́вная (rodoslóvnaja)process through which propagation, growth or development occurs
- разведе́ние (razvedénije)act of inseminating by natural or artificial means
- размноже́ние (razmnožénije)act of inseminating by natural or artificial means
- осемене́ние (osemenénije)act of inseminating by natural or artificial means
- копуля́ция (kopuljácija)copulation of animals
- сноше́ние (snošénije)copulation of animals
- совокупле́ние (sovokuplénije)copulation of animals
- ко́итус (kóitus)copulation of animals
- воспи́танность (vospítannostʹ)good manners as characteristic of the aristocracy
Spanish cópula, preñada
- cópulacopulation of animals
- preñadaejaculation
Tagalog palabinhian
- palabinhianact of inseminating by natural or artificial means
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with breeding
Anagrams
Cite this entry
breeding. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breeding
“breeding.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breeding. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “breeding,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breeding.
Source: breeding on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.