breeding
noun
breed·ing ˈbrē-diŋ 
1
: the action or process of bearing or generating
2
: ancestry
3
a
archaic : education
she had her breeding at my father's charge—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare b
: training in or observance of the proprieties
4
: the sexual propagation of plants or animals
Synonyms
- ancestry
- birth
- blood
- bloodline
- descent
- extraction
- family tree
- genealogy
- line
- lineage
- origin
- parentage
- pedigree
- stock
- strain
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She became involved in the breeding of sled dogs. His politeness shows good breeding. a person who lacks breeding
Recent Examples on the Web But the caviar rush of the late 19th century ravaged the Atlantic sturgeon, and today breeding populations remain in only 22 of its 38 natal rivers. —Andrew S. Lewis, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2023 The swans are connected with the Great Lakes area, where there is an effort to restore historic breeding populations. —Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Dec. 2022 Their summer breeding populations have been more stable lately. —Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 29 Aug. 2022 If an annual breeding population is established in Wisconsin, barn owls could once again be considered for the state's endangered and threatened species list. —Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2021 The breeding pair of wolves that naturally migrated into the state last year formed the pack north of Walden in Jackson County with the birth of six pups. —From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2022 The Amur tiger made the move after the Amur Tiger Species Survival Program (SSP) suggested that Zoya and Roosevelt Park's male Amur tiger Viktor would make a good breeding pair. —Natasha Dado, PEOPLE.com, 23 Mar. 2022 As an apex predator, the Philippine eagle serves as a barometer of forest health: The existence of a breeding pair is testament to a healthy ecosystem, as each couple needs some 17,300 acres of forest to survive. —Jhesset O. Enano, Animals, 5 Jan. 2022 If the pack continues to prey on livestock, Broman said, the state could authorize the killing of the breeding pair, which would likely lead to the dissolution of the pack. —oregonlive, 24 Aug. 2021 See More
Andrew S. Lewis, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2023 The swans are connected with the Great Lakes area, where there is an effort to restore historic breeding populations. —Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Dec. 2022 Their summer breeding populations have been more stable lately. —Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 29 Aug. 2022 If an annual breeding population is established in Wisconsin, barn owls could once again be considered for the state's endangered and threatened species list. —Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2021 The breeding pair of wolves that naturally migrated into the state last year formed the pack north of Walden in Jackson County with the birth of six pups. —From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2022 The Amur tiger made the move after the Amur Tiger Species Survival Program (SSP) suggested that Zoya and Roosevelt Park's male Amur tiger Viktor would make a good breeding pair. —Natasha Dado, PEOPLE.com, 23 Mar. 2022 As an apex predator, the Philippine eagle serves as a barometer of forest health: The existence of a breeding pair is testament to a healthy ecosystem, as each couple needs some 17,300 acres of forest to survive. —Jhesset O. Enano, Animals, 5 Jan. 2022 If the pack continues to prey on livestock, Broman said, the state could authorize the killing of the breeding pair, which would likely lead to the dissolution of the pack. —oregonlive, 24 Aug. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing breeding
Kids Definition
breeding
noun breed·ing
1
: ancestry sense 1
2
: training especially in manners
3
: the producing and raising of plants or animals by sexual reproduction
breeding 1 of 2
noun
as in lineage
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended a family of good breeding that is well respected in the community Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- lineage
- pedigree
- ancestry
- origin
- genealogy
- family
- parentage
- extraction
- birth
- descent
- bloodline
- blood
- stock
- strain
- family tree
- race
- succession
- heredity
- line
- relations
- house
- relatives
- kin
- kindred
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- progeny
- seed
- offspring
- issue
- posterity
- child
- son
- heir
- successor
- inheritor
breeding
2 of 2verb
1
as in reproducing
to bring forth offspring rabbits will breed very frequently unless they're kept separated Synonyms & Similar Words
- reproducing
- propagating
- multiplying
- spawning
- procreating
- producing
- hatching
- siring
- mothering
- parenting
- generating
- begetting
- engendering
- having
- getting
- gendering
- bearing
2
as in raising
to bring to maturity through care and education he was bred to a life in the military by his father, himself an army captain Synonyms & Similar Words
- raising
- fostering
- rearing
- nurturing
- teaching
- feeding
- nursing
- promoting
- cultivating
- nourishing
- educating
- schooling
- watching
- fathering
- training
- bringing up
- mothering
- mentoring
- attending
- disciplining
- supplying
- tutoring
- instructing
- cradling
- furthering
- indoctrinating
- shepherding
- forwarding
- leading
- edifying
- enlightening
- preparing
- guiding
- advancing
- showing
- ministering (to)
- minding
- directing
- caring (for)
- providing (for)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- mistreating
- maltreating
- abusing
- ignoring
- mishandling
- neglecting
- ill-treating
- harming
- ill-using
- hurting
- injuring
3
as in creating
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind) this habit of favoring one employee over the others will breed resentment Synonyms & Similar Words
- creating
- spawning
- bringing
- causing
- generating
- producing
- doing
- prompting
- working
- inducing
- yielding
- begetting
- making
- effecting
- engendering
- invoking
- bringing about
- catalyzing
- effectuating
- drawing on
- bringing forth
- bringing on
- occasioning
- promoting
- introducing
- encouraging
- inaugurating
- establishing
- fostering
- translating (into)
- giving rise to
- developing
- pioneering
- cultivating
- founding
- initiating
- launching
- beginning
- fathering
- determining
- nurturing
- starting
- furthering
- resulting (in)
- instituting
- innovating
- deciding
- rendering
- forwarding
- advancing
- conducing (to)
- enacting
- contributing (to)
- setting
- nourishing
- setting up
- turning out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- limiting
- restricting
- impeding
- controlling
- checking
- crushing
- suppressing
- repressing
- squashing
- killing
- smothering
- subduing
- retarding
- stifling
- inhibiting
- squelching
- restraining
- curbing
- quashing
- dampening
- destroying
- quelling
- arresting
- abolishing
- canning
- extinguishing
- liquidating
- demolishing
- putting down
- clamping down (on)
- reining (in)
- stilling
- cracking down (on)
- quenching
- snuffing (out)
4
as in mating
to engage in sexual intercourse cats breeding outside our window made a horrible racket last night Synonyms & Similar Words
- mating
- sleeping
- copulating
- having sex
- doing it
- fornicating
- fooling around
5
as in planting
to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set parents who breed in their children a deep respect for people of all classes Synonyms & Similar Words
- planting
- inseminating
- implanting
- sowing
- rooting
- embedding
- lodging
- inculcating
- infixing
- instilling
- driving
- enrooting
- investing
- inoculating
- hammering
- pounding
- entrenching
- infusing
- ingraining
- imbuing
- fixing
- engraining
- intrenching
- steeping
- imbedding
- suffusing