Breed
/briːd/noun
To produce offspring; also, to raise and care for animals or children.
Did you know?In Old English, the ancestor of modern “breed” could mean not just reproduction, but also fostering, rearing, and bringing up, so the word was tied to care as much as creation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰrewh₂-
“to boil, brew, prepare”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*braudą
“bread”
Old English
English
brēdan
“to produce, increase, nourish, rear”
Middle English
English
breden
“to bring forth young; to rear”
Modern English
English
breed
“to produce offspring; to raise animals or children”