breeder

noun

breed·​er ˈbrē-dər How to pronounce breeder (audio)
: one that breeds: such as
a
: an animal or plant kept for propagation
b
: one engaged in the breeding of a specified organism
c
: a nuclear reactor designed to produce more fissionable material than it uses as fuel

called also breeder reactor

Examples of breeder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cassidy was married three times: first to actress Kay Lenz in 1977 and then to horse breeder Meryl Tanz in 1984. Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025 As a dog breeder, April Brown, 38, from Citronelle, Alabama knows the telltale signs of pregnancy in a dog by now. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025 Modern breeders have focused not just on leaf color, but on traits including leaf size and shape. Margaret Roach, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025 According to the current language of the bill, those circumstances would only apply if the specific disease had already been detected in another one of the breeder’s deer, or in a deer that was transferred from another breeder. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for breeder

Word History

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of breeder was in 1531

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Cite this Entry

“Breeder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breeder. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Medical Definition

breeder

noun
breed·​er
: one that breeds: as
a
: an animal or plant kept for propagation
b
: one engaged in the breeding of a specified organism

More from Merriam-Webster on breeder

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