breeding

/ˈbɹiːdɪŋ/

//ˈbɹiːdɪŋ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"breeding" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“breeding” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,214 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,214
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Propagation of offspring through sexual reproduction.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

breeding vs brewing
75% similar
breeding vs briefing
75% similar
breeding vs brooding
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for breeding
PropertyValue
Headwordbreeding
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɹiːdɪŋ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#6,214
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “breeding” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). breeding lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for breeding is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbɹiːdɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,214 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for breeding, with forms such as "bbreeding", "bereding", and "bredeing". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "brewing", "briefing", "brooding", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English breedyng, bredynge (“gestation, incubation, propagation, hatching; engineering, formation, development, growth”), equivalent to breed + -ing. The correct English form is breeding, spelled B-R-E-E-D-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Propagation of offspring through sexual reproduction.
  2. 2
    The act of insemination by natural or artificial means.
  3. 3
    The act of copulation in animals.
  4. 4
    The good manners regarded as characteristic of the aristocracy and conferred by heredity.
  5. 5
    Nurture; education; formation of manners.
  6. 6
    Descent; pedigree; extraction.
  7. 7
    Ejaculation inside the rectum during bareback anal sex.

Etymology

From Middle English breedyng, bredynge (“gestation, incubation, propagation, hatching; engineering, formation, development, growth”), equivalent to breed + -ing.

This word in other languages

cópula(Español)élevage(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbreeding,bereding,bredeing,breding,breedding,breedign,breedingg,breedinng,breednig,breeidng,brreeding,rbeeding

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of breeding - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

bbreeding1bereding2bredeing2breding1breedding1breedign2breedingg1breedinng1
Edit distance from "breeding"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "breeding"?
"breeding" is spelled B-R-E-E-D-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɹiːdɪŋ/.
What does "breeding" mean?
As a noun, "breeding" means: Propagation of offspring through sexual reproduction.
What words are commonly confused with "breeding"?
"breeding" is commonly confused with "brewing", "briefing", "brooding". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "breeding"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "breeding" is /ˈbɹiːdɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "breeding"?
From Middle English breedyng, bredynge (“gestation, incubation, propagation, hatching; engineering, formation, development, growth”), equivalent to breed + -ing. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “breeding”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-R-E-E-D-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbɹiːdɪŋ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “brewing” - see the side-by-side comparison. breeding vs brewing
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list