selective breeding

noun

The practice of breeding the best specimens of a given organism to encourage certain features.

“Monsanto practices selective breeding to produce high-yield seeds.”

Similar
artificial selection
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Meanings

nounselective breeding (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe practice of breeding the best specimens of a given organism to encourage certain features.

    Monsanto practices selective breeding to produce high-yield seeds.

    Synonyms: artificial selection

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe practice of breeding the best specimens of a given organism to encourage certain features.

Similar
artificial selection
Also see
artificial selection
Cite this entry
APA

selective breeding. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selective%20breeding

MLA

“selective breeding.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selective%20breeding. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “selective breeding,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selective%20breeding.

Source: selective breeding on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.