domestication: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal/academic
Quick answer
What does “domestication” mean?
The process of taming wild animals or plants and adapting them for human use or companionship.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The process of taming wild animals or plants and adapting them for human use or companionship
The process of making something more suitable for domestic life; the adaptation or acclimatization to home or family life; making something familiar, manageable, or less wild
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage
Connotations
Both varieties use with same scientific/academic connotation
Frequency
Slightly more common in academic contexts in both varieties
Grammar
How to Use “domestication” in a Sentence
The domestication of [animal/plant]Domestication led to [result]Through domestication, [change occurred]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “domestication” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Farmers began to domesticate wild goats thousands of years ago.
- The process to domesticate this plant species took centuries.
American English
- Researchers are trying to domesticate new crop varieties.
- It's difficult to domesticate truly wild animal species.
adverb
British English
- The animals lived domestically after years of training.
American English
- They behaved quite domestically despite their wild origins.
adjective
British English
- Domesticated animals often have different traits from their wild ancestors.
- The domesticated version of the plant yields more fruit.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; might appear in agricultural business contexts
Academic
Common in biology, anthropology, agriculture, and history texts
Everyday
Infrequent; mainly in educational or documentary contexts
Technical
Standard term in biology, genetics, and agricultural science
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “domestication”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “domestication”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “domestication”
- Misspelling as 'domistication'
- Confusing with 'domesticity' (state of being domestic)
- Using as verb (should be 'domesticate')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, taming refers to individual animals becoming accustomed to humans, while domestication involves genetic changes over generations making the entire species dependent on humans.
Yes, plant domestication involves selective breeding for desirable traits like larger fruits, reduced toxins, or easier harvesting.
It varies by species but typically takes many generations, from decades to millennia, depending on reproductive cycles and selection intensity.
Sometimes through feralization, but domesticated species often cannot survive in the wild without human assistance due to lost adaptations.
The process of taming wild animals or plants and adapting them for human use or companionship.
Domestication is usually formal/academic in register.
Domestication: in British English it is pronounced /dəˌmɛstɪˈkeɪʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /dəˌmɛstəˈkeɪʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this noun form”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
DOMestic CATion: think of turning wild cats into domestic pets
Conceptual Metaphor
WILD IS UNCONTROLLED, DOMESTICATED IS MANAGED/CONTROLLED
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'domestication'?