breeding
B2Formal and technical in biological contexts; somewhat formal/dated in the social/behavioral sense.
Definition
Meaning
The process of producing offspring or young, especially through controlled mating of animals or plants; the act of raising and caring for young or animals.
Also refers to a person's upbringing, manners, and social behavior, implying a background of good training and refinement (e.g., 'good breeding').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word spans two primary semantic fields: 1) Biological reproduction and husbandry. 2) Social refinement. These meanings are conceptually linked via the idea of careful cultivation or raising.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in definition or usage. The social refinement sense ('good breeding') is slightly more associated with British class-conscious language but is understood in AmE.
Connotations
Both share connotations. In biological context: neutral/technical. In social context: can imply elitism or class distinction.
Frequency
More frequent in biological/agricultural contexts in both varieties. The social sense is less common in contemporary everyday AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
breeding of [animals/plants]breeding for [characteristics][Noun] breedingbreeding [Noun]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “born and bred”
- “breeding ground for”
- “good breeding”
- “ill-bred”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In agribusiness: 'The company specializes in the selective breeding of high-yield crops.'
Academic
In biology/ecology: 'Climate change is affecting the breeding cycles of migratory birds.'
Everyday
Talking about pets: 'Responsible breeding helps prevent health problems in dogs.'
Technical
In genetics: 'The breeding value of a sire is estimated from progeny performance.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They breed rare cattle on that farm.
- Mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water are a health hazard.
American English
- He breeds championship quarter horses.
- Rabbits breed very quickly under the right conditions.
adverb
British English
- This species is fast-breeding in warm climates.
- They are selectively breeding for a specific trait.
American English
- The rabbits are rapidly breeding out of control.
- The fish are captive-bred for the aquarium trade.
adjective
British English
- The breeding stock was imported from France.
- This is a prime breeding site for seabirds.
American English
- The breeding pair has produced three chicks.
- We visited a breeding facility for lab mice.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The zoo has a panda breeding program.
- Good breeding means being polite.
- The breeding season for these birds is in spring.
- She has the manners of someone with good breeding.
- Selective breeding has dramatically increased milk yields in dairy cows.
- His impeccable courtesy betrayed an upbringing of fine breeding.
- The conservation project focuses on breeding endangered species in captivity for eventual reintroduction.
- Her disdain was not born of malice but of a breeding that found such vulgarity incomprehensible.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SEED (breed) being planted and GROWING (-ing) into a new plant or animal, or into a well-mannered person.
Conceptual Metaphor
BREEDING IS CULTIVATION (both for organisms and behavior). SOCIETY IS A KENNEL/FARM (people are 'bred' for certain traits).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'breeding' (social) directly as 'воспитание' without context, as the latter is broader. For biological sense, 'разведение' is accurate. 'Порода' is 'breed', not 'breeding'.
- Do not confuse 'breeding' (noun) with 'breeding' (present participle of verb 'to breed').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'breeding' as a direct synonym for 'raising' in all contexts (e.g., 'child breeding' is incorrect).
- Misspelling as 'breaeding' or 'breeding'.
- Confusing 'breeding' with 'breed' (noun).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'breeding' used to refer to social manners?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is used for plants and micro-organisms as well. It also has a distinct meaning related to human upbringing and manners.
'Reproduction' is a broader biological term. 'Breeding' often implies human control, selection, or management of the reproductive process, especially in animals and plants.
Yes. 'Inbreeding' is negative in genetics. 'Bad breeding' criticizes someone's manners. 'A breeding ground for' can metaphorically describe a place where something bad develops (e.g., 'a breeding ground for corruption').
It is understood but can sound old-fashioned or class-conscious. It describes someone with polite manners, supposedly from a good family background.
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