thoroughbred

UK: /ˈθʌrəbrɛd/

US: /ˈθɜroʊˌbrɛd, -əˌbrɛd, ˈθʌr-/

US: (thûr′ō bred′, -ə bred′, thur′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

thor•ough•bred /ˈθɜroʊˌbrɛd, -əˌbrɛd, ˈθʌr-/   adj. 

1. Animal Husbandry of pure or unmixed breed, as a horse or other animal;
   purebred.

n. [countable]

2. a thoroughbred animal.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

thor•ough•bred  (thûr′ō bred′, -ə bred′, thur′-), adj. 

1. Animal Husbandry of pure or unmixed breed, stock, or race, as a horse or other animal;
   bred from the purest and best blood.
2. Dog and Cat Breeds (sometimes cap.) of or pertaining to the Thoroughbred breed of horses.
3. (of a person) having good breeding or education.

n. 

4. Dog and Cat Breeds (cap.) one of a breed of horses, to which all racehorses belong, originally developed in England by crossing Arabian stallions with European mares.
5. a thoroughbred animal.
6. a well-bred or well-educated person.

• thorough + bred 1695–1705

thor′ough•bred′ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

thoroughbred / ˈθʌrəˌbrɛd/ adjective

1. purebred

noun

1. a pedigree animal; purebred
2. a person regarded as being of good breeding

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Thoroughbred / ˈθʌrəˌbrɛd/ noun

1. a British breed of horse the ancestry of which can be traced to English mares and Arab sires; most often used as a racehorse