breeding

Propagation of offspring through sexual reproduction.

Adjective

  1. Of, relating to or used for breeding.
    • Your toothbrush is a breeding ground for bacteria.

Origin

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.

Derived

breeding ground

Noun

  1. Propagation of offspring through sexual reproduction.
    • 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...
    • 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...
  2. The act of insemination by natural or artificial means.
  3. The act of copulation in animals.
  4. The good manners regarded as characteristic of the aristocracy and conferred by heredity.
  5. Nurture; 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: […]...
  6. Descent; pedigree; extraction.
    • Your dog has good breeding.
    • 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 […]...
  7. Ejaculation inside the rectum during bareback anal sex.

Origin

From Middle English breedyng, bredynge (“gestation, incubation, propagation, hatching; engineering, formation, development, growth”), equivalent to breed + -ing.

Forms

breedings

Derived

antibreeding breeding ground breeding hips cobreeding cross-breeding dog breeding inbreeding linebreeding line breeding nonbreeding non-breeding outbreeding postbreeding prebreeding selective breeding stockbreeding unbreeding xbreeding

Verb

  1. present participle and gerund of breed
    • Through genetic manipulation and harsh training, I am breeding a species of super-dogs to take over the world.