Breed and Brood Come From Warmth
To breed is to produce offspring. The Old English verb meant to keep warm, which is what a bird does when it broods on eggs.
To breed is to produce young, or to raise animals selectively. The Old English *bredan* meant to keep warm or cherish with heat — the action of a bird sitting on eggs — and *brood* comes from the same root. Breeding began as warming. The related noun *brood* still means both a batch of young and the act of sitting on them.
- To produce young. *They breed in spring.*
- To raise selectively. *He breeds spaniels.*
- A variety of animal. *A rare breed.*
- To give rise to. *Familiarity breeds contempt.*
- Brood — a batch of young. *A brood of chicks.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | breed | Breed selectively. |
| Past | bred | Bred in captivity. |
| Noun | breed | A hardy breed. |
| Agent | breeder | A cattle breeder. |
| Related | brood | A brood of ducklings. |
- The birds breed on the cliffs.Wildlife.
- It is a breed known for temperament.Animals.
- Familiarity breeds contempt.Proverb.
Breed, species, variety
- Species — a biological category; members interbreed naturally
- Breed — a human-selected group within a domestic species
- Variety or cultivar — the plant equivalent
- Every dog breed belongs to a single species
- Breed standards are written by people, not by biology
Old English *bredan*, to nourish or keep warm, from a Germanic root related to *brood* and to warmth. The noun meaning a variety dates from the 1500s.
Are breed and brood related?
Yes. Both come from an Old English root meaning to warm. A bird broods by keeping eggs warm.
Is a breed the same as a species?
No. A breed is a human-selected group within one domestic species. All dog breeds are one species.