reproductive

UK: /ˌriːprəˈdʌktɪv/ US: /ˌriprəˈdʌktɪv/ ,(rē′prə duk′tiv)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•pro•duc•tive  (rē′prə duk′tiv), adj. 

1. serving to reproduce.
2. concerned with or pertaining to reproduction:
   a reproductive process; reproductive organs.

n. 

3. Insects [Entomol.] a sexually mature male or female termite;
   a member of the reproductive caste.

• re- + productive 1745–55

re′pro•duc′tive•ly, adv. 
re′pro•duc′tive•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

reproductive / ˌriːprəˈdʌktɪv/ adjective

1. of, relating to, characteristic of, or taking part in reproduction

ˌreproˈductively adverb

ˌreproˈductiveness noun

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•pro•duce /ˌriprəˈdus, -ˈdyus/   v., -duced, -duc•ing. 

1. to make a copy or close imitation of; duplicate: [~ + object]
   The tape reproduced the sound of the conversation fairly well.
   [no object]
   That low-quality tape machine reproduces badly.
2. to produce, form, or bring about again or once more by any process:
   [~ + object] Scientists will want to reproduce that experiment.
3. Developmental Biology to produce one or more other young individuals of (a given kind of organism) by some process of generation, sexual or asexual: [~ + oneself]
   Some animals reproduce themselves by laying eggs.
   [no object]
   If an animal can't reproduce, its species will not survive.

re•pro•duc•i•ble, adj. 
re•pro•duc•tive /ˌriprəˈdʌktɪv/  adj. See -duc-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•pro•duce  (rē′prə do̅o̅s′, -dyo̅o̅s′), v., -duced, -duc•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to make a copy, representation, duplicate, or close imitation of:
   to reproduce a picture.
2. to produce again or anew by natural process:
   to reproduce a severed branch.
3. Developmental Biology [Biol.] to produce one or more other individuals of (a given kind of organism) by some process of generation or propagation, sexual or asexual.
4. Developmental Biology to cause or foster the reproduction of (organisms).
5. to produce, form, make, or bring about again or anew in any manner.
6. to recall to the mind or have a mental image of (a past incident, scene, etc.), as by the aid of memory or imagination.
7. to produce again, as a play produced at an earlier time.

v.i. 

8. Developmental Biology to reproduce its kind, as an organism;
   propagate;
   bear offspring.
9. to turn out in a given manner when copied:
   This picture will reproduce well.

• re- + produce 1605–15

re′pro•duc′er, n. 
re′pro•duc′i•ble, adj. 
re′pro•duc′i•bil′i•ty, n. 
Synonyms

• 3. generate, propagate, beget.
• 5. repeat. See imitate.