Search
Select the dictionary language
Breed
01
a particular type of animal or plant that has typically been domesticated by people in a certain way
Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Animal
Composition
Simple
Countable
Plural form
breeds
Examples
The Border Collie breed is renowned for its intelligence and herding instincts.
02
a category or type of something
Examples
He belongs to a breed of leaders who inspire loyalty.
to breed
01
(of an animal) to have sex and give birth to young
Intransitive
Examples
The pair of rabbits bred successfully, resulting in a litter of adorable baby bunnies.
02
to make animals produce offspring in a way that is suitable for human beings
Transitive: to breed animals
Examples
The farmer breeds cattle to improve the quality of the herd for meat production.
03
to produce or give rise to something, often by creating the conditions or circumstances that are necessary for its emergence or development
Transitive: to breed a condition oe emotion
Grammatical Information
Composition
Simple
Action verb
Regular
Present tense
breed
3rd person singular
breeds
Present participle
breeding
Past simple
bred
Past participle
bred
Examples
A lack of investment in education can breed ignorance and apathy in a society.
04
to develop a particular kind of animal or plant by choosing and mating specific ones to get certain qualities
Examples
They are breeding a new type of apple that grows faster.
