line-breed
|line-breed|
/ˈlaɪnˌbriːd/
breed within a lineage
Etymology
'line-breed' originates from a modern English compound of 'line' and 'breed', where 'line' ultimately comes from Latin 'linea' meaning 'linen thread' or 'line' and 'breed' comes from Old English 'brēdan' meaning 'to produce or bring forth'.
'line' developed in English via Old French 'ligne' from Latin 'linea', and 'breed' comes from Old English 'brēdan' (and related Proto-Germanic forms); the compound 'line-breed' arose in English as a technical agricultural term by the 19th to 20th century to describe breeding within a lineage.
Individually, 'line' referred to a line or lineage and 'breed' to producing offspring; combined, they came to mean the specific agricultural practice of breeding within a lineage to concentrate particular traits.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the practice of breeding animals within a particular bloodline or lineage to concentrate desirable traits while attempting to avoid close inbreeding.
Line-breed is commonly used by breeders who want to preserve a family's desirable traits.
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Verb 1
to mate animals within the same lineage or bloodline in order to preserve or reinforce certain hereditary characteristics.
They line-breed their mares to maintain a consistent temperament in the herd.
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Adjective 1
describing an animal that has been produced by line-breeding or a trait resulting from line-breeding.
The line-breed foal showed the family's characteristic calm temperament.
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Last updated: 2026/01/24 17:09