well-bred
adjective
1
somewhat old-fashioned
: having or displaying the politeness and good manners associated especially with people of high social class
a well-bred English gentleman
well-bred manners
Elizabeth had become a professional dancing teacher, with a school where well-bred children of the city learned the dances they were expected to know in the 1880s and 90s …—
Elizabeth Kendall
Elizabeth Kendall2
of an animal
: having a good pedigree
well-bred swine
Gate Dancer is a very well-bred horse … who has both speed and stamina …—William Leggett
William LeggettExamples of well-bred in a Sentence
a well-bred young woman who is unfailingly polite to everyone
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As the sun set on the gentlemanly era of relationship banking, Wall Street needed to recruit huge numbers of the most talented—not just well-bred or best-connected—bankers to keep up.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
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Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Well-bred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/well-bred. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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